


Consume me with fire; flood me with desire

by Dacamia



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Rewrite, Captivity, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Happy Ending, Hurt Zuko (Avatar), Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Light Bondage, Love Confessions, Misunderstandings, Mutual Pining, Older Characters, Pining, Resolved Sexual Tension, Romance, Sexual Tension, Shameless Smut, Slow Burn, Smut, Stubborn Katara (Avatar), Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-11-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:42:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 86,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25896901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dacamia/pseuds/Dacamia
Summary: “You have to be sure, Katara. The way I feel… if you let me put my hands on you… I want you so much. I’ll consume you.”Arousal shot through Katara like a lightning-bolt at his words. He felt it too, whatever that charged energy between them was. Even now, it thrashed within her like a wild thing.Breathlessly, she said, “Touch me, please Zuko.”---A whole canon rewrite where Katara and Zuko get to know each other MUCH better and earlier in the series. Featuring canon-divergences, angst and pining, fluff, and a whole lot of smut.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 1354
Kudos: 2044





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> *Starts in Book 1 E4 (The Warriors of Kyoshi). Also, I’ve aged everyone up, so Zuko is now 20, Katara is 18, Aang is 16*
> 
> This is a finished work - I'll be posting 1 chapter per week :) 
> 
> Enjoy!

“Katara, don’t ride the unagi. Not fun.” Aang said as Katara cradled his head in her lap after his latest mishap trying to ride yet another new creature. Laughing, she helped him to his feet.

“Back to the village?” she said, walking away from the water and back to Kyoshi Village where they were staying.

“Yepp.” Aang grinned at her, a little sheepishly, still thinking of how she had witnessed his foolhardy attempt to ride the unagi.

She smiled back at him, a light breeze ruffling her hair. She never thought her life would be so full of adventure, as it had been in the last few weeks since she and her brother Sokka had found Aang, the Avatar. No two days had been the same since rescuing him from that iceberg. It still felt surreal that she was now hunted by the Fire Nation for her association with the Avatar. This was the sort of thing that happened to important people, not an 18-year-old girl from the Southern Water Tribe who could barely control her fledgling waterbending abilities.

“Oh no…” came Aang’s voice softly, staring at something in the distance.

“What?” Katara followed Aang’s gaze to see the smoke rising from the direction of the village.

“Fire Nation.”

Katara’s anxiety rose as they sprinted toward the village and the smoke billowed overhead. She worried about all of the people who taken them in and been so kind to them. As they drew close, she covered her mouth and coughed, inhaling the ash falling from the sky. Most of the thatched huts were ablaze, Fire Nation soldiers crawling through the streets on their Komodo-rhinos. The statue of Kyoshi was burning.

“Nice try Avatar, but these little girls can’t save you,” yelled a familiar raspy voice.

Zuko.

That Fire Nation prince who had been chasing them since they found Aang. He had attacked her home. He had defeated Sokka with ruthless efficiency. He had threatened Gran-Gran.

And, quite frankly, he scared her. He was ruthless and cruel. Everything she’d expect from Fire Nation royalty.

Ever since their first meeting, when he attacked the Southern Water Tribe and captured Aang, Katara had trained with Sokka nightly to learn combat basics, as well as practicing her waterbending on her own. She wanted to be ready if they faced him again… but this was too soon. She wasn’t ready and she knew it.

But that didn’t matter now.

“Hey! Over here!” Aang called out, capturing Zuko’s attention.

“Finally,” muttered Zuko, replying by hurling fireballs toward Aang. Aang leapt toward the firebender, but was quickly surrounded by Fire Nation soldiers.

After ushering a group of children into one of the nearby houses that wasn’t yet on fire, Katara turned to help Aang. Ignoring the voice in her head that asked what she could possibly do, she crept toward Zuko while he was distracted trading attacks with Aang.

She was nearly behind Zuko when he spun around, hearing her approach. He scoffed, “I told you, these little girls won’t save you. No matter how many you throw at me.”

With that he rushed toward her, faster than she was ready for. Raising her arms to block, she barely stopped his blow. The impact reverberated up her arm, almost making it feel numb. This wasn’t like sparring with Sokka. This was real. And Zuko was like a cobra, tightly wound, coiled and ready to spring with lightning-fast reflexes. Settling back into his fighting stance like it was nothing, he rounded on her again. Katara dove out of the way as a ring of fire shot toward where she had just been standing. His arms flexed as he fire-bent with fury.

As she jumped back to her feet, Zuko gave her an appraising look and smirked. It was obvious this girl couldn’t keep up with him. He’d take care of her effortlessly and get back to what mattered—capturing the Avatar and regaining his honor.

Seeing Katara in trouble, Aang sent a wave of air toward Zuko, before being forced to turn his attention back to keeping the other Fire Nation soldiers from incapacitating him. Zuko was knocked off balance for only a split second, and Katara knew it was now or never. Without thinking of the consequences, she rushed him, tackling him in his moment of distraction.

Tumbling on top of him, they both went down. Her legs went on either side of his hips, straddling him. She wrapped her hands around his wrists and pinned his arms to the ground, hoping it would be enough time for Aang to get away or do… something.

Surprise crossed Zuko’s features, softening the hard, angry look that was usually etched into them. Then, scowling again, he hissed, “Seriously?” before flipping her onto her back in one smooth motion.

He lay between her legs now, pinning her with his weight as surely as his hands now pinned her arms to the ground. Katara struggled with all her might to free herself. Zuko was too powerful. His lean, muscular body gave no quarter as he held her down and glared at her.

“That was stupid,” he said.

Katara bucked her hips, trying to throw him off to no avail. She couldn’t do anything against his unyielding strength. His body emanated a fierce heat, which she could feel on her thighs. She realized she was in a very compromised position at the moment, and completely under his control. Tendrils of fear wove around her heart and Katara’s eyes widened. What had she been thinking, trying to tackle him? What did she expect to happen?

“Now what should I do with you…” he mused, looking down at her furiously. Katara tried to shrink into the dirt, away from him, wishing she were an earthbender so the ground could swallow her whole.

Zuko’s golden gaze flickered as he registered the terror in the girl pinned helpless beneath him. The corners of his eyes relaxed almost imperceptibly.

“Just don’t get in my way,” he said, this time without malice. He released her wrists and moved off her, jumping up to chase down the Avatar.

Sitting on the ground, Katara began to tremble. She really was no match for him, after all. Her resolve hardened. She would just have to get stronger, then. She wouldn’t let that fire prince get the upper hand again.

As Zuko reached Aang, Aang air-blasted him into the side of a building and flew to her side on his glider.

“Katara! Are you okay? Did he hurt you?” Aang’s voice was full of tenderness and concern.

“Yeah. I’m okay.” Katara replied, her heart still racing from the encounter.

Glancing around him, Aang said, “Look what I brought to this place.”

“It’s not your fault.” 

“Yes it is. These people got their town destroyed trying to protect me.”

“Then let’s get out of here. Zuko will leave Kyoshi to follow us,” Katara swallowed. Her heart sped up, thinking of Zuko hunting them again. Overpowering her again. “I know it feels wrong to run, but I think it’s the only way.” Until we’re strong enough to face him, she thought.

“I’ll call Appa.” Aang looked downcast.

As she, Aang and Sokka made their getaway, Zuko stood in the center of the village and watched them go. Her eyes locked with his, and she felt unable to tear them from his steely gaze until they had flown away.

* * *

_~~~S1 E9: The Waterbending Scroll~~~_

Since Kyoshi village, they’d run into Zuko only one more time—during the winter solstice when Aang had to travel to the Fire Temple to speak with Avatar Roku. Zuko had tried…again, and failed…again, to capture him. Katara knew he wouldn’t give up and she intended to be stronger the next time they met.

That was why she swiped the waterbending scroll from those pirates. She would do far more good with it than they ever would, and she needed to improve her skills somehow. Besides, they were pirates so stealing didn’t seem as wrong.

Feeling irritated with Aang for being naturally gifted at waterbending, she had snuck out in the night to the river to practice with the scroll. She didn’t want anyone to see her feeble attempts at getting it right. She wanted so badly to be a powerful waterbender but it was just so difficult to learn even the basics without a real teacher.

She tried again and again to master the scroll as clouds gathered in the sky. Whenever the moon peeked out, it filled her with its power—although a full moon would have been better. It always made her feel so alive and full of energy.

“Shit! Come _on_ water, work with me here!” she shouted in frustration, as yet another tendril of water wavered in her control before dissipating back into the river.

* * *

“Okay, what if I just… ouch! Stupid scroll!”

On the pirate ship, Zuko heard the voice cursing down the river and turned to the pirate captain. This time he would surely capture the Avatar, all because his little band was foolish enough to steal a waterbending scroll from pirates.

* * *

“Okay Katara. Shift your weight through the stances.” She made her voice encouraging, thinking it might help, but the water still would not obey her. “Ugh!”

Her focus was interrupted by a loud scraping behind her. Her heart in her throat, she turned around to peer through the bushes. A large ship was docking a few feet away. The pirate ship.

She had to warn the others! Gasping, she began to run, but before she could see what was in front of her, she smacked into a heavily muscled chest. A huge bare-chested pirate looked down at her and grinned. She turned to get away from him but he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back against him roughly.

“No! Let go of me!” she shouted, calling water from the river and splashing him in the face. The pirate sputtered and loosened his grip on her, giving her the chance to flee.

Looking behind her to see whether the pirate was chasing her, she turned forward just in time to see Zuko right in front of her. She skidded to a stop, but before she could change direction, Zuko grabbed both of her wrists and held her firmly in place.

Glaring at her, he said “I’ll save you from the pirates.”

Katara’s stomach dropped unpleasantly.

Her eyes widened as all of the feelings of powerlessness from Kyoshi village came rushing back. She pulled and twisted her hands, trying to get away from Zuko but his grip was like a vice.

“Let me go!” she cried.

“I think not.” Zuko replied. Then, calling to his Fire Nation soldiers, “Bring the rope.”

Panicking, Katara tried again to rip her hands free.

“Stop. Struggling.” Zuko commanded, his face dangerously close to hers. He walked forward, forcing her backwards until her back was against a tree. He looked to his soldiers and nodded his head toward her, motioning the men to tie her to the tree. His eyes glittered triumphantly.

Each circle of the rope held her more and more tightly, and she felt like a fly-spider trapped in a web. The soldiers tied the rope tightly—so tightly it bit into her wrists.

This was bad. Really really bad. A handful of Fire Nation soldiers, Zuko, and the entire crew of pirates stood evaluating her in the moonlight.

Zuko stood calmly before her. “Tell me where he is and I won’t hurt your or your brother.”

“Go to hell!”

Zuko glanced down for a moment, looking disappointed. He sauntered toward her with a scowl, circling predatorily as he continued, “Try to understand. I need to capture him to restore something I’ve lost. My honor.”

Katara tilted her head as he moved, pointedly avoiding looking at him as he came closer behind her shoulder.

Zuko brought his lips next to her ear, lowering his voice. She could feel his breath on her neck, raising goosebumps as he spoke. “Perhaps in exchange, I can restore something you’ve lost.”

Katara inhaled sharply as Zuko raised her mother’s necklace in front of her neck. He reached around behind her to hold it up against her throat, encircling her.

“My mother’s necklace!”

Smiling with self-satisfaction, Zuko let the necklace dangle from one of his fingers. Moving away, he fluttered it mockingly in front of her.

“How did you get that?” Katara demanded.

“I didn’t _steal_ it, if that’s what you’re wondering.” Zuko replied, implying she was little better than a common thief. Turning to face her once more and jabbing a finger at her, he said, “Tell me where he is.”

Katara felt a surge of defiance well up in her chest. There was no way she would betray Aang and Sokka, whatever Zuko did to her. “NO!”

“Enough of this necklace garbage. You promised the scroll.” The pirate captain cut in, tired of the cat and mouse game Zuko was playing.

Zuko brought a flame to his palm, holding the scroll just above it so the flames could almost lick the bottom of the paper. “I wonder how much money this is worth.”

The pirates froze, an involuntary, “No!” coming from the captain.

“A lot, apparently.” Zuko sneered. “Now you help me find what I want, you’ll get this back, and everyone goes home happy. Search the woods for the boy and meet me back here.”

“Fine,” said the captain, saving his look of distain until he had turned away from Zuko.

“AANG! AANG RUN!” Katara screamed as the pirates melted into the woods. She was certain they would come upon the group’s camping site in no time and with Aang and Sokka sleeping, they’d be captured without a fight. “AAAAAAANNNNGG!”

“Shut it, peasant.” Zuko closed the distance between them in a heartbeat, shoving his hand over her mouth to muffle the warning. Glaring at him, she bit down.

“You’ll pay for that.” Zuko promised as he ripped his hand away before she could do any real damage. “Gag her!” The Fire Nation soldier on Zuko’s right stepped forward with a length of fabric. 

“AAAANG RUNffmmphh,” she shouted before the gag was fastened, cutting off her screams. She raged at Zuko, lunging at him as much as she could manage with her hands tied behind the tree.

Unflinching, Zuko said to his soldiers, “Take her to my ship. And don’t let her out of your sight. I’m going to find the Avatar.” He turned back to her, “And you had better hope I do.”

Too angry to be frightened, and not wanting to give him the satisfaction, Katara poured every bit of her hate for him, and for the Fire Nation, into a defiant glare. Zuko sprinted into the woods, leaving her alone, surrounded by Fire Nation soldiers.

“Alright, you heard him. Let’s go,” said the nearest soldier. He gripped her arms tightly as another man moved to untie her hands. As the rope released her wrists, she clenched and unclenched her fists, feeling the blood return.

Just then, Aang and Sokka tore out of the woods, Appa right behind. Coming out of the trees like termites from a rotten piece of wood, the pirates swarmed after them, sporting crossbow weapons that shot nets toward her friends. Aang deflected one net with his airbending while Sokka dodged another. Spotting her across the clearing, Sokka began to sprint. Aang saw her too, but before he could come to her aid, Zuko leapt out of the forest, shooting fire.

Katara twisted and lunged, trying to evade the Fire Nation soldier’s grasp and reach Sokka, but the soldier simply dug his fingers in even harder and wrenched her away. Her wrists were quickly re-tied behind her back and two soldiers flanked her, steering her toward the second riverboat that had docked—Zuko’s.

Not giving up, Sokka ran on a collision course with the soldiers, his club in the air. He didn’t get far, though. The pirates intercepted him, cutting him off. Sokka looked from the pirates to Katara with panic.

 _He’s going to do something stupid, he always does,_ Katara thought. _These pirates are ruthless. I can’t let him be killed!_ She caught his eye and shook her head frantically, trying to look reassuring. Probably not very effectively, with her hands tied behind her back, gagged, and surrounded by Fire Nation.

Sokka skidded to a stop and started backing away from the pirates as they moved in around him. Suddenly, Aang landed beside Sokka, glider at the ready.

“What are you waiting for. Get him. Now!” yelled Zuko, crashing toward Aang and Sokka with the rest of his Fire Nation soldiers at his back.

Aang and Sokka looked at each other briefly, then to Katara, grave concern on their faces. Behind them, Appa huffed, stomping his legs and wanting to be away from all the fire and commotion. The wind picked up and the sky overhead grew dark, a powerful storm in the making.

“Katara! We’ll be back for you! As soon as we can! I promise.” Aang sounded anguished but there was no time. Enemies closed in around them. In one swift movement, he flew himself and Sokka onto Appa’s back.

“Yip yip.” Tears streamed down his face. Katara watched as her only hope of rescue flew away.

 _They’ll come back for me. Just as soon as they can,_ she repeated to herself, blinking away tears of her own. _It’ll be no time at all. You’ll see._

“ARGH!” Zuko exclaimed, watching Aang go. Frustrated, fire shot from his hands. “Fuck!” His face contorted in rage, he looked like he wanted to hit something.

Unfazed, the pirate captain rounded on him. “We held up our end of the bargain, now give us the scroll.”

“You held up NOTHING. Useless. All of you.” Zuko spat. In a fit of fury, he took the scroll from his belt and set it ablaze. “I didn’t get what I wanted so neither will you.” He stared down the pirate captain, daring the man to challenge him.

“Do you have any idea how much that was worth?” The captain narrowed his eyes dangerously and tapped two fingers against his hand. At his signal, three pirates emerged from the shadows around Katara and the two Fire Nation soldiers. The soldiers had no time to react before the pirates knocked them out. The same bare-chested pirate who had surprised Katara earlier swung her easily over his shoulder, carrying her like a sack of potatoes. He dumped her unceremoniously at the captain’s feet.

“I guess we’ll just have to claim a different reward.” The captain said, crouching next to her in the dirt. She tried to lean away as he tilted her chin up toward him. “Waterbender, ain’t she? Not many of those still around, are there? She’ll fetch a fine price.” She shuddered with revulsion, smelling rum and rot on his breath.

“No.” Zuko said with uncompromising authority. “I still need her to help me find the Avatar.”

The pirates hauled Katara to her feet, half of her face now covered in dirt.

“Don’t be stupid.” The captain wheedled. “We’ll keep the girl and call it even.”

“I said, no.” Zuko took two steps toward them, his soldiers at the ready behind him. The pirates tensed.

Leering at her, the pirate captain grabbed her jaw roughly, turning her face from side to side. “Want to have a little fun with her, do you? I can see why. She’s very pretty. She’ll be great _entertainment_ before I find somewhere to sell her off. Won’t you, darling?” He laughed cruelly.

Katara wanted to throw up as panic formed a coat of bile in her throat. Which wouldn’t be wise, considering she was still soundly gagged and would likely choke on it before anyone noticed. Holding in a whimper, she snapped her gaze to Zuko, pleading with her large blue eyes.

“Mmzzckoo,” she managed through the gag. _Please help me_ , she thought desperately. _Aang and Sokka won’t find me fast enough to stop these pirates. Please Zuko, please. Take me anywhere but don’t leave me with them._

Zuko looked at the pirate with utter revulsion. “Are you as dumb as you look? I already told you. She’s coming with ME.” On the last word, Zuko closed the gap in an instant, grabbing her and yanking her into his arms. Away from the pirates.

Katara shrank into his chest, heart hammering in fear.

At that moment, all hell broke loose around them. Pirates and Fire Nation soldiers exploded into combat on both sides as Zuko ushered Katara out of the fray, shooting out a few blasts of fire to keep the pirates away from them. Quick on his feet, he was able to maneuver them both without being caught in the crossfire.

Standing at the ramp to the boat stood an old man, Zuko’s uncle Iroh. Zuko made his way to Iroh, holding Katara in his arms both protectively and possessively.

Upon reaching Iroh, Zuko tore the gag from Katara’s mouth. “You don’t need this now.”

“Zuko…” she breathed in gratitude.

Zuko looked startled for a moment, hearing her say his name like that, instead of with her usual venom.

“I guess I really did save you from the pirates,” he said quietly. He blinked and cleared his throat. Then, “Uncle. Get her aboard our ship. We’re getting out of here.”

On the riverbank, the tide of the battle began to turn in favor of the Fire Nation. As it always did.


	2. Chapter 2

“Tell me where the Avatar is.” Zuko repeated for the hundredth time that day.

Katara was in a cell on the Fire Nation warship. Everything was cold metal, accented with rusty reds. Although she was usually free to roam about the room, manacles were latched around each of her wrists, attached to chains that fed into the wall. From outside the door, those chains could be set to pull taut, rendering her unable to move in any direction. They were set as such now, holding her in place for Zuko’s interrogation.

He paced in front of her restlessly, becoming more frustrated by the minute.

“How many times can I tell you the same thing? I have no idea! I saw him fly off just the same as you.” Katara grimaced, reliving the memory of Aang and Sokka flying away on Appa. It had only been a day, but it already felt like a lifetime. Where _were_ they? Why hadn’t they come for her yet?

“You must know something. YOU WILL TELL ME.” He stood directly in front of her, seeming to tower over her.

“Even if I did know where they were, I would never tell you! You’re not getting Aang in your little Fire Nation clutches.”

“Do you even realize the position you’re in right now? You are at my mercy.” He stalked even closer to her, bringing his face inches from hers with a menacing scowl. The air between them sparked. “And I’m not big on mercy. Don’t make me hurt you, waterbender.”

Stepping back, he conjured a small flame, making it dance between his hands for effect. Katara shrunk away as much as her chains would allow. Still, whatever Zuko was threatening was better than what the pirates had had planned for her.

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Wouldn’t I?” Zuko replied softly, cocking an eyebrow on the side of his face that was not marred by the burn.

Katara looked into his eyes, trying to find a shred of sympathy within but they were hard and cold. And yet… despite how imposing as he was—and how angry he was—she didn’t think he would actually carry through on his threat.

All the same, she wasn’t sure she wanted to test that intuition.

“I… I told you, I don’t know! We never make camp in the same place for long. They could be anywhere by now.”

Zuko growled, resisting the urge to slam the wall. He allowed the fire in his palm to extinguish. He was getting nowhere with this. Four times now, FOUR, that scrawny monk had slipped through his fingers. And his honor along with him.

“Please, Zuko. You know I don’t know.” Katara’s voice broke through the angry fog in his mind. She sounded defeated, slumping as far as she could with the chains holding her upright in the middle of the cell. It had been a full day of interrogation since she’d been brought aboard his ship, and he had not learned a single thing that would help him capture the Avatar.

He knew the Water Tribe girl was telling the truth about not knowing where the Avatar was right now—how could she?—but he refused to believe that she didn’t know _anything_ useful. And although he saw himself as callous, he couldn’t bring himself to actually hurt her to see what information she might have. Worse still, he suspected _she_ knew that. This frustrated him even further, knowing that his sister and father would have no qualms about doing what needed to be done.

He said, “Fine! But if you think I’m letting you go, you can forget it. The Avatar will come back for you, and when he does, I will be ready.”

“Good! I can’t wait. He is going to beat you, just like he does every time you actually manage to catch up to him!” Katara spat, holding back tears at the mention of Aang coming for her. She didn’t want to give Zuko the gratification of seeing her cry.

Zuko opened the door to leave the room when Iroh’s voice came from the hall, “Prince Zuko. I think our guest might be thirsty by now. You have been yelling at her for hours.”

“Right.” Zuko muttered, taking a cup of water that Iroh handed him and walking back to Katara.

By now, she knew the drill. She was only allowed water when it was fed to her with her arms immobilized by the chains. She had been given water a few times already by the faceless helmeted soldiers, whenever Zuko took a break from yelling at her. The soldiers had simply emptied the cup into her mouth with no regard for the indignity of how it dripped down her chin when they sloshed it too fast, and not a care if she sputtered as she tried to keep up to swallow the flow.

Zuko, though, was strangely gentle as he tipped it to her lips. His usual overbearing demeanor diminishing slightly, he said almost apologetically, “It has to be like this. It’s standard protocol with waterbenders.”

Katara let the cool water rush down her throat. She felt grateful for the drink, and even more grateful for Zuko’s uncharacteristic kindness. But that didn’t change how appalled she was at the humiliation of being restrained and fed water in such a way. Zuko watched her closely with an odd expression on his face, taking care not to pour too much for her to swallow at once.

When the cup was empty, a single drop of water trickled from the corner of her mouth. Zuko swiped it away carefully with his thumb, the movement a light caress along the bottom of her lip. A tingle flew up her spine like a jolt of electricity.

A peculiar silence hung in the air between them.

“Uh. Thanks.” Katara filled the silence with the first thing that came to mind, mentally kicking herself immediately after. She shouldn’t be thanking Zuko, of all people. Zuko was the reason she was in this mess. Zuko wouldn’t stop chasing them. Zuko was holding her prisoner, for crying out loud.

The corners of Zuko’s eyes softened almost imperceptibly. He jerked his hand away. “Yeah…” he said, before striding out the door.

After the door clanged shut, the mechanism that held her chains released, giving her freedom to move around the room. She allowed her arms to fall to her sides with relief.

Hugging herself, she threw herself onto the small lumpy mattress in the corner of the room. Her breath hitched with a sob, and she released it, finally letting out all the tears that she had held in all day. Where were Aang and Sokka? How long would she be in Zuko’s clutches?

How could he be so frightening one moment and then show such gentleness the next?

* * *

Two more days went by with Aang and Sokka still nowhere to be seen. She passed her time practicing her combat and bending stances to keep her strength up. 

Zuko still came to her cell several times a day to feed her water and ask questions. He no longer bothered to engage the mechanism to pull her chains taut when he came; it was clear that she was no threat to his superior strength and fighting capabilities. Even her bending was nothing compared to his.

He would always start by asking about the Avatar, trying to glean information on where Aang could be, where he might be going, why he hadn’t come yet, or what his weaknesses were. But he rarely yelled anymore, after that first day. He mostly just seemed resigned, determined to keep asking anyway. Obsessed. It seemed to Katara that a deep-seated desperation was driving him.

Often after his questions petered out, he ended up sitting on the floor across the room from her, sometimes seeming at a loss for what to say and other times trying to make awkward conversation. Katara grew to—not _look forward to_ , that was too strong of a feeling, but— _anticipate_ his visits to break up the monotony of her cell. He was no great conversationalist by any stretch of the imagination, but it was nice to have someone to talk to. And the more she talked to him, the more her fear of him drained away. He had not hurt her, no matter what he _said_ he was going to do. Sure, he was angry and unpredictable, at best. But there was something underneath all of that.

And he kept coming back to see her, even knowing she had nothing to tell him about the Avatar. It was almost like… almost like he _liked_ her company. Or perhaps it was simply a disruption in the monotony for him as well. The crew and soldiers certainly didn’t seem like interesting company.

Still, Katara was sick of it all. She was sick of being bait. Sick of being helpless. Sick of her only company being her enemy. Sick of relying on the glimpses of kindness from a volatile fire prince.

* * *

It was dawn on her fourth day in the cell and Katara sat on the thin cot, trying to think of some way to escape. She wished, for the millionth time, that she were a powerful waterbender who could compel the ocean to answer her call and get her off this forsaken ship.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the door creaked open and Zuko strode in as usual, with her cup of water. But this time, he was also holding a pai sho board under his other arm.

Katara gave it a pointed glance and quirked an eyebrow.

“I thought you might be bored in here. Do you know how to play?” he asked.

“Yeah. A bit, anyway. But who says I want to play with _you?_ And why would you want to play with me?”

“I’m sick of playing with my uncle. I want to go against someone new.”

“Sick of playing with your uncle? Or sick of _losing_ to him?”

Zuko glared at her, not liking to be the subject of any joke. “I’ll have you know I was taught by the best pai sho masters in the Fire Nation.”

Katara could tell he was getting irritated but couldn’t resist pushing him just a bit further. “I notice you didn’t answer my question.”

“Fine!” he snapped. “Yes. I am sick of losing to the old man, okay. Do you want to play me or not? I can just leave you alone in here with your thoughts again, if you’d prefer.”

Grinning, she replied, “No, no, no. I guess I can play you. But what do I get in return?”

“What? That’s ridiculous. You’re my prisoner, you aren’t exactly in a position to negotiate.”

“Well… you want to play me, and I don’t _have_ to play you, so I think that gives me a bit of leverage, don’t you think?” She smiled sweetly at him, knowing it would get under his skin.

“Forget it!” He twisted around, starting to storm from the room.

“Wait.” It was so easy to rile him, but she didn’t actually want him to leave. She _did_ want to play, if only to have something to do instead of stare at the metal wall. “What I want is simple.”

Zuko looked over his shoulder, halfway out the door. “What?”

Quickly, she tried to think of something that would help her escape, some way she could trick him into giving her something to her advantage. But he wouldn’t be that stupid. He looked at her expectantly and she ended up blurting the first thing that came to mind, “I want to drink tea while we play.”

“That’s it?” He stepped back into the room.

“That’s it.”

He narrowed his eyes. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea, _waterbender_. Nice try though.”

“Come on. We both know,” she looked down, embarrassed, “I’m not a good enough bender to do anything with a bit of tea.”

Zuko appraised her, trying to figure out if she was up to something.

Seeing he was on the edge of a decision, she continued, “I just want a bit of civilization. It’s not exactly a holiday being stuck in your cell, you know. I just… miss tea.”

“Well…” The hard lines in Zuko’s face smoothed out as he considered.

“How about this?” Katara held up her hand as though she were taking an oath. Her eyes twinkled with contained amusement. “I solemnly swear I won’t bend the tea. Seriously.”

“…All right,” he said reluctantly. “But one step out of line and I’ll revoke these privileges! And don’t forget, I can take you in a fight. And we’re on _my_ ship. Surrounded by _my_ soldiers.”

Katara gave him an exaggerated eyeroll. “Yes yes, I’m well aware of that. So it’s a deal then!” She bounced to the middle of the room and sat on the floor, waiting for him to join her and start their game.

Zuko looked uncertainly at the pai sho board in his hands. “I didn’t bring any tea today, though. Just some water.”

“I’ll let it slide. This time.” Katara joked. She swore she almost saw a smile cross Zuko’s lips; unbidden, her thoughts turned to how handsome he looked when he wasn’t scowling.

He joined her in the middle of the room, setting down the board and bag of pieces between them.

Then he moved closer to bring the water to her lips as usual, stopping when she spoke.

“As much as I enjoy you feeding me water,” she said with playful sarcasm, “are you really going to feed me tea too? The whole time we play pai sho? Just let me…” Locking eyes with him to gauge his reaction, she slowly reached out to take the cup from his hands. He seemed on edge, ready to spring if she made any sudden movements. Their fingers brushed as she gently put her hands around the cup and removed it from his grasp.

Zuko watched her as she took a sip, almost in a trance.

As she swallowed, he shook himself mentally and said, “Since you’re not a very _good_ waterbender, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Katara wasn’t sure, but she thought she caught a slight teasing in his tone, hidden underneath his usual testiness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who left kudos or a comment on Chapter 1. It honestly means so much to me :)


	3. Chapter 3

The next day, Zuko showed up in the late morning, just as she was beginning to awaken. As someone who drew her power from the moon, she was a night owl. Since her capture, she’d taken to staying up late into the night, partly to enjoy the feeling of the moon flowing through her (although it was muted through the layers of metal on the ship) and partly because she was wracking her mind to come up with some kind of viable escape plan. Nothing had occurred to her yet, but she wasn’t going to give up either.

“Morning.” Katara rubbed the sleep from her eyes, sitting on the edge of her cot.

Zuko crossed the room to her and pulled a key from his belt. He waited for her to stand, then began to unlock her shackles. “It seems like you’re going to be with us for a while,” he said without preamble.

“What? Did something happen to Aang? What do you know?” She suddenly felt wide awake.

“I’ve received word that the Avatar and his bison were caught up in a great storm, shortly after we encountered you on the riverbank. They were blown further north than we thought. We’re moving to intercept but it could still be a few weeks before we catch up to him.”

“A storm? Are they okay? What about my brother?”

“I have no more details.”

“Well, couldn’t we catch up to him sooner? I mean, if he were flying to us as we sailed to meet him?” Katara mused excitedly.

“Apparently there has been noted trouble with spirits in that region. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Avatar was involved. It seems I must go to him. Again.” Zuko said with annoyance. The whole point of kidnapping the (infuriatingly mesmerizing) waterbender was to lure the Avatar to him, yet here he was with circumstances conspiring to force him to pursue the airbender anyway.

“So what, if I’m staying awhile longer then?” Katara wondered what all this had to do with him removing her chains.

“My uncle reminds me that you are a young lady and urges me to treat you as our guest. And I agree it seems… unbefitting… to leave you in this uncomfortable cell when you may be with us for weeks yet. You will be moving to new quarters. Come.”

Zuko led her through the interior of the ship, finally stopping in front of a metal door. Unlocking it, he pushed it open and stood aside waiting for Katara to enter first.

Although still quite spartan, the room was a far cry from the barren cell. The room featured a huge Fire Nation flag on one wall, at the foot of which was a small table and two cushions set on the floor, presumably for taking meals or playing pai sho. Candles and lanterns were scattered about in various alcoves and on daises, suffusing the room in gentle, warm light. Straw mats crisscrossed the floor. There was a large wooden chest against one wall and next to it, a bookshelf full of reading materials. A real bed, one that actually looked passably comfortable, was nestled into the corner, opposite the Fire Nation flag.

“I’ll leave you to get acquainted with your new space. There are some changes of clothes in that chest.” Zuko closed the door. A metallic sound rang out as he locked it firmly behind him.

Although a cage was still a cage by any other name, this was certainly a vast improvement. After drifting around the room and idly inspecting her new surroundings, Katara found herself in front of the chest. She took out a few items of clothing, all of them in Fire Nation reds, golds and blacks. Feeling like her Water Tribe clothes were getting grungy and a little worse for wear, Katara changed into one of the new dresses. Maroon with gold accents, it was a casual one-shoulder dress that hugged her breasts and torso before flowing into a skirt that stopped a little above her ankles. The dress was quite comfortable, but Katara still felt a little uneasy in the Fire Nation style and colors. Though, it was nice to be in something clean for a change.

She sighed, trying unsuccessfully not to speculate about what kind of spirit world troubles Aang was getting himself into now.

* * *

Zuko returned that evening to check on her, bringing tea as usual. When he opened the door, he couldn’t help but stare at the sight of Katara; she was always beautiful, but in red and gold she was somehow even more striking than ever. The dress clung to her body, accentuating her curves far more than her Water Tribe layers had done.

Zuko swallowed heavily.

Katara blushed. “The clothes fit.”

“I can see that.” Involuntarily, his eyes flicked up and down her body. He hoped she didn’t notice.

Of course, she did. Her stomach flip-flopped and she wished he would look away so it would stop. “Ahm, so where’d you get them, anyway?”

“Oh? It’s just casual-wear we have on board for female soldiers. I don’t have any women in my unit, so it was in storage.”

“It’s nice.” Katara gave a little twirl.

 _It’s more than nice_ , Zuko thought.

She continued, “The room is nice too. Give your uncle my thanks.”

“Yes. I will.” Zuko seemed stuck in place.

“So…” Katara looked around the room for something to talk about. She didn’t like how much she _liked_ the way he was looking at her. And it was obvious he wasn’t about the carry the conversation. “What do you do for fun?”

“Nothing.”

She laughed, not doubting him in the slightest. “You should really pick up a hobby, you know.”

“Like what? Juggling?”

Katara broke into giggles. “Did you just tell a joke?!”

“I guess I did.” Zuko looked as surprised as she was.

“I can hardly believe it!”

“Yeah, well, don’t go spreading it around. It will ruin my reputation.”

Katara laughed harder. “Two jokes in a row? Who are you and what have you done with Zuko?”

“What? No. I was serious.”

“Right…” Katara went on, “Since you’re in such a humorous mood, how about we play a game?”

“I didn’t bring the board.”

“We don’t have to play pai sho. How about this? It’s a game I used to play with my friends…back at the Water Tribe. It’s called ‘Would You Rather?’”

“I don’t know…”

“Don’t worry, it’s easy. We just take turns asking the other person what they would prefer out of two different options. You try to pick two things that are hard to choose between, like things that are equally fun or equally terrible, or whatever. Come on.” Katara sat on one of the cushions at the table, looking expectantly at him.

“That doesn’t sound like my kind of game.”

“Why do I get the feeling that no game is your kind of game?”

“Because I don’t play games.”

“Sure you do. We played pai sho, didn’t we?”

“Well, yes.”

“Then you can play this!”

Zuko looked at her like she was suggesting he stick his hand in a scorpion-bee nest, but he reluctantly settled himself into the cushion across from her and set out the tea.

“Good. I’ll start so you can see how it goes. Something easy. Hmmm. If you were at a festival and your favorite song came on, would you rather dance or sing?”

“Neither.”

Katara put her face into her hands in exasperation. “That’s not how you play! You have to pick one of the options.”

“Still neither.”

“Wow, you really are no fun after all. I take back what I said about your humorous mood. We can’t play if you’re going to be like that.”

“ _dance_ ” Zuko said quietly into what sounded like a cough.

“Sorry I didn’t catch that.” Katara radiated amusement.

“I said dance, okay. I’d dance. If I had to.”

She tried to imagine him dancing but couldn’t quite picture it. Although, dancing wasn’t so different from bending when you got right down to it, and he was very skilled at that.

“See, it’s not so hard. Okay, ask me one.”

Zuko furrowed his brow, trying to come up with something. “Would you rather yield to the Fire Nation or be destroyed?”

In a fit of giggles, Katara collapsed forward onto the table. “No way. Ask something more lighthearted.”

“This is frivolous.”

“Yep. You know, like it’s meant to be played for _fun_ or something.”

“Fine. In your free time, would you rather be training in physical combat or bending techniques?”

“Stop being so serious Zuko!”

“You are very demanding, you know that?” Zuko paused, trying to think of a trivial question that she would accept. “How about… would you rather eat spiral noodles or long noodles?”

Shaking her head, she replied, “Is that the best you can come up with? Okay. Spiral. My turn. … Would you rather be able to fly or breathe underwater?”

“Well, some firebenders can fly… so I choose breathe underwater. Plus, it would be a good defense against you waterbenders. At least, the good ones,” he said pointedly, the ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

Improbably, he found that he was actually starting to enjoy himself. He wasn’t used to playing a game just for the pleasure of it—in the Fire Nation (or at least, in his family), every “game” was a test to hone your skills or a way to show dominance, and everyone always had an ulterior motive.

Katara sighed in exasperation. “You don’t have to think about it so tactically. Anyway, it’s your turn now.”

“Would you rather… have a pet puma-goat or snail-sloth?”

“Way better! Now you’re getting it. I choose… puma-goat, because I’ve never ridden one before. Okay, now… oooh. If you weren’t a firebender, would you rather be an earthbender or a waterbender?”

“Fire is the superior bending form,” Zuko held up a hand to cut Katara off before she could protest, “But if I _had_ to choose another… water.”

“Really? Why?”

“Water and fire are diametrically opposed. I think if any other bending could be _almost_ as powerful as fire, it would have to be water, wouldn’t it?”

“I never thought of it like that.”

“Me neither. This game isn’t so bad, I guess. My turn. Would you rather drown or burn to death?”

They continued back and forth, drinking tea, and forgetting for a little while that they were on opposite sides. Katara was astonished to find that Zuko wasn’t terrible company once he let down his guard.

It was her turn to ask a question and she thought she’d do him a favor and give him one he’d find easy.

“Would you rather kiss a girl you like with no consequences or punch a man you hate with no consequences?”

She expected a swift answer about taking vengeance on foes, or something of the sort. What she _didn’t_ expect was when Zuko’s eyes widened. He glanced at her face quickly, then away, and she swore she saw a hint of pink on his cheeks (although it was hard to tell in the soft firelight of the room, which gave everything a reddish hue).

“Kiss the girl,” he croaked. He was acting almost abashed—an emotion she’d never seen on him before and honestly hadn’t imagined the arrogant fire prince could feel.

“Oh,” was all she could come up with, finding herself wondering what girl there could be that Zuko would want to kiss. Obviously some Fire Nation noble, nothing for her to concern herself with…. She _most certainly_ shouldn’t concern herself with what his lips would feel like against hers. And she most certainly shouldn’t be remembering the way his muscular body felt pressed against hers in Kyoshi village, either.

She began to feel warm as she tried to quash the very unacceptable, thoroughly unwanted, and definitely inappropriate images dancing through her head.

“Surprise you, did I?” he said dryly.

“Actually, yeah.” Now it was her turn to be embarrassed.

“Would you rather give up bathing for a month or sleep on the floor for a month?” Zuko asked, wanting to change the subject as quickly as possible.

“Oh, what I wouldn’t give for a bath right now! Especially after spending a week straight in that cell. Honestly, I’m pretty used to sleeping on the ground in my sleeping bag, since we’re on the road most of the time. So, I’d have to say I’d rather sleep on the floor and get to be clean.”

Zuko nodded thoughtfully, sipping his tea.

“If you were reincarnated, would you rather come back as a turtle-duck or as the Avatar?”

“The Avatar, no question.”

“But you hate him.”

“Well, I wouldn’t if he were me. And to command the power of all elements… yes, I would definitely be reincarnated as the Avatar.” Zuko’s thoughts turned to the airbender. He looked intently at Katara. “Would you rather tell me the Avatar’s greatest weakness or what his ultimate plan is?”

“I think we’re done with the game.” Katara replied quietly, feeling a sense of loss that the lightness that had carried them through most of the evening had vanished. It was just like Zuko to turn something fun into simply another opportunity to interrogate her.

* * *

Zuko made his way back to his quarters, wondering how it had gotten so late. He felt frustrated, but this time it was with himself. He knew he’d ruined their game, but he hadn’t seemed to be able to stop himself.

_And what was that question about kissing someone with no consequences?_

* * *

When Zuko arrived at her room the next day, she noticed he’d brought neither pai sho board nor tea.

“Follow me,” he said, leading her down the hallway.

Eventually he stopped in front of a door, which looked like every other door she’d seen. “I thought you might like to wash up. Like you said, it’s been almost a week now.”

“Oh.” Katara sighed, thinking of how nice it would be to wash. “Yes, I would.”

“Okay. Good. The thing is,” he hesitated. “Showers aren’t exactly permitted for waterbenders. Obviously.”

“Okay…” She wasn’t sure where he was going with this.

Zuko’s cheeks colored. “I’ll have to go in the room with you.” He rushed to continue, “There’s a partition. I’ll be behind it. I’ll turn my back. If that’s all right with you. It’s the only way I can make sure you’re not bending.”

“Oh.” Katara said again, warmth rushing to her face. “I guess so.”

“Right then.” He pushed open the door, revealing a stark bathroom, befitting a warship, decorated in the usual Fire Nation reds. As promised, a folded partition separated the shower from a small bench in the corner next to the door.

Zuko sat on the bench, turning his back to the partition. “I’ll just be here, then.” His voice sounded raspier than usual. “No bending.”

“I know, I know.” Katara responded, feeling nervous. She padded into the room, making her way to the shower.

She eyed the partition warily. Keeping her gaze on it, she stripped off her clothing until only her sarashi wraps remained. Heart pounding, she hesitated before peeling them off as well. She nearly jumped out of her skin when Zuko cleared his throat behind the partition. He was so close, if she took a few steps she’d be able to reach out and touch him. The idea quickened her pulse. Shaking her head angrily to clear her mind of these treacherous thoughts, she stepped into the shower and turned on the water.

“Oooooh!” she exclaimed in surprise when the water came on. It was hot.

“What’s going on? You better not be bending.” Zuko said, shifting behind the partition uncomfortably.

 _This was a dumb idea,_ he thought. _How am I supposed to make sure she’s not bending when I can’t turn around and look at her?_ He felt agitated, knowing she was naked, so close, just behind the screen.

Somehow, since she’d come aboard his ship, the waterbender had wormed her way through his defenses. She teased him and laughed with him like no one ever had; not the people he’d known in the Fire Nation before his banishment, who would try to ingratiate themselves to curry favor; not the peasants he’d met on his travels, who cowered from him; not his soldiers who simply obeyed; not his family, with whom he always had to be on alert in case they had found some new way to humiliate him. Being with her was different. Pleasant.

And her remarkable beauty had not gone unnoticed, either. He was a hot-blooded 20-year-old man. The more time he spent with her, the more he wondered what it would be like to run his fingers along her skin, to tear his name from her lips in ecstasy.

Now here he was, only a flimsy screen separating them as she showered. It would be so easy to simply walk around the partition and join her. He chased away the thoughts, hating himself for them when he was meant to be doing something good for a change. _She wouldn’t want you. She hates you. Remember that._

“Of course not,” came her reply to his assertion about her bending. Then, with awe, “The water is so hot.”

“Well. Yeah. Firebenders.” Zuko almost chuckled.

“We never had anything like this in the Southern Water Tribe. Just a hot bath… but you’d have to heat up all the water first, and by the time you got the last water hot, the first water would be cold already. This is wonderful!” She laughed in sheer delight as the hot water rushed over her skin, through her hair, and down her back.

Zuko smiled a full, true smile behind the divider; her happiness was contagious.

Katara wanted to spend an eternity in the hot shower, but she was hyper-aware that Zuko was just sitting there on the bench, waiting while she did. Again she felt a rush of heat—and an odd butterfly sensation had taken flight in her stomach—but she ascribed it to the shower and the steam that was beginning to fill the room.

Soap sat on a small shelf, which she grabbed and applied liberally over her body, washing her hair and face and skin. She didn’t know when she’d have another chance.

She closed her eyes, relishing the sensations of the water, the soap, and the steam. It felt blissful after being cooped up for a week. “Mmmm,” she moaned, losing herself in the moment.

Zuko dug his fingers into his thighs at the noise. Did she have any idea what she was doing to him? He wanted to say something, but his voice stuck in his throat. He tried doggedly not to think of the water coursing over her body as she made those sounds behind him. He tried not to want to _be_ that water.

_This was a bad idea. A bad, bad, stupid, idiotic, very bad idea._

Thoughts still spinning, he didn’t even notice as the water turned off.

“Umm. Is there a towel?” Katata ventured quietly, jolting him from his thoughts. “Or, I could try to bend myself dry.”

He tried to make his voice sound normal. “No bending!”

Katara felt exposed. “So, a towel?”

“Right. It’s, oh it’s right here.” _Shit. Why is it over here?_ In front of the bench by the door was a rack with fresh towels folded neatly. Standing, he grabbed one.

Katara could now see his back around the screen. He’d only need to turn around, and…

“Here.” Keeping his back turned away stiffly, Zuko held out the towel behind him.

Katara crept closer, taking it from him hesitantly. Her whole body pulsated with pent-up energy, and now she wasn’t so sure it was just the exhilaration of the shower. She quickly dried herself and got back into her clothes, wanting to forget this strange energy as soon as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo I'm going to post more than 1 chapter per week because I am too excited to share this story! I'll be posting every four(ish) days! I hope you enjoyed chapter 3!


	4. Chapter 4

For the next week or so, a daily game of pai sho (and tea) with Zuko became Katara’s new routine. Sometimes he would even join her for a meal. She continued to be surprised that she actually enjoyed their time together, even if half the fun was ribbing him until he started to get mad.

“Zuko! Is that a pout I see?” Katara teased as his face turned sour when she turned the tables on his latest move. She now had a clear line of sight to victory.

“That’s Prince Zuko to you, peasant.” Zuko bantered without any bite to it, his pout only deepening. He made another move, realizing too late that it was the wrong one.

Katara giggled at his petulant expression. “Well, _Prince_ Zuko, how does it feel to lose to a Water Tribe peasant?” She sipped her tea innocently, ignoring his glower, and moved her next piece forward to cement her advantage. “Hmm. If I let you win, will I get a reward for good behavior?”

Abruptly, the memory of Zuko skimming her lip with his thumb resurfaced. She pushed it down, confused, and darted her eyes to his face to see if he noticed anything.

All of Zuko’s concentration remained on the board, however. “Pah! I don’t need anyone to _let_ me win. Least of all you. I can still turn this around.”

“I’d like to see you try,” she retorted.

“How’s THIS?” he exclaimed triumphantly, making a bold move. He poured himself another full cup of tea as he waited for her to consider her next move. He did a little bit of firebending to make it hotter, ending up accidentally boiling the liquid.

“No problem. Little did you know, I planned for every contingency,” she bluffed, still assessing the board.

The ship lurched suddenly as the helmsman changed direction, scattering some of the pieces out of place. The full cup of boiling tea splashed over onto Zuko’s hand.

Scalding pain erupted and he _roared_.

Flashbacks to his father burning his face flooded his mind. The pain. The humiliation. The moment when he knew he had lost his father’s acceptance. The moment he had lost his honor.

“Zuko!” Katara moved toward him in concern, reaching out to him.

“Don’t touch me!” he yelled, cradling his hand. It hurt so badly, and the skin was peeling away in several places. He stared at it in horror.

“Maybe… maybe I can help. I can try to help.” As Katara spoke to him, it was like he didn’t even hear her. “Zuko. Zuko! Let me help. Are you listening?”

He tore his eyes from his hand, finally registering what she was saying. “What are you talking about? Leave me alone!” The immediate pain was subsiding into throbbing but Zuko knew better than to think it was over. With a burn, there was always more pain.

“I… just let me try, okay? I’ve done it before. Once.” Katara opened the teapot, accessing the rest of the lukewarm tea. Zuko watched her suspiciously but no longer recoiled. She continued, “Don’t be mad. I’m just going to do a little bit of bending.”

Katara called the tea out of the pot. With a layer of water coating her hands, she gently took Zuko’s burned hand. He stared at her, not encouraging her but not stopping her either.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, feeling his hand between both of hers. She willed the water to heal him, to find every damaged cell and repair it. To soothe and restore.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then, she felt it. The telltale tingling of the water against her skin. Opening her eyes, she saw that the water in her hands was glowing faint blue. She held Zuko’s hand tighter, wanting to make sure she healed it all. She wasn’t sure if she would be able to call on this ability again at will, completely untrained as she was.

Zuko stared at her in utter astonishment as the water healed his burns. It was cool and relieving, and even the throbbing melted away. The parts of his skin that had peeled away from the flesh now replenished, leaving his skin smooth and unmarred. There would be no scar.

Letting out her breath, Katara looked at his hand and started beaming. “I did it!” She squeezed his hand in excitement.

“That was… I mean… you healed me.” Zuko struggled to find words. To see burned flesh repair itself was nothing short of a miracle in his eyes. He knew, theoretically, that some waterbenders had healing abilities. But he had never actually met one. Never seen it in action. It was amazing.

“Well. Yeah.” Katara smiled self-consciously. Noticing they were still holding hands, she dropped hers. The tea fell from her fingers, making a small puddle on the floor. “I wasn’t sure if I could. I’ve only done it once before. I was cleaning a cut on a child’s hand in my village, and… I’m sure you don’t care about this story, never mind.”

“You helped me. After everything…” He turned his head, unable to look at her. Then, “I wonder.” He brought his now-unscathed hand to lightly touch his scar.

“Maybe you could be free of it.” Katara ventured, feeling a new bond forming between them.

“What? It’s a scar. It can’t be healed.”

“I could… try.”

“No. This scar. It… marks me.” He seemed almost to be talking to himself. “The mark of the banished prince, cursed to chase the Avatar forever. I’m not free to determine my own destiny. And I’ll never be free of my mark.” Zuko closed his eyes, a pained expression on his face.

Tears welled in Katara’s eyes. She reached up and touched his scar, gently. Seconds passed, and neither of them moved.

A clatter startled them, and they quickly broke apart. Iroh stood at the door, a shocked expression on his face and a tray of food dropped at his feet. Zuko never let anyone touch his scar. Iroh had never seen him look so vulnerable with anyone since the day of the Agni Kai.

Katara wiped her tears with the back of her hand, as Zuko jumped up and fled from the room, saying only, “I have to go.”

Iroh let him pass without a word, simply turning a quizzical look on Katara. He coughed. “I am sorry. I seem to have dropped your snacks. If you will excuse me.” Bowing, he disappeared from the door.

* * *

Katara tossed and turned all night. Sleep would not find her, as she couldn’t quiet her wandering thoughts. She thought of Zuko’s hand, and the tingling sensation of holding it in her own as the water healed him. The ghost of his touch on her lip. The tortured look on his face as he spoke of his scar. The way it felt soft, like thin parchment, under her fingers when he let her touch it.

The way his lean, hard body had felt between her thighs, back in Kyoshi village. A flush of heat coursed through her.

Tossing again, she tried to drive thoughts of Zuko from her mind. But that was no help. Now, she thought of Aang and Sokka, wondering anxiously if they were okay. It must be some serious spirit trouble to keep them from her for so long.

She thought of her mother, and how much she hated the Fire Nation. And Zuko’s face, again.

She drifted into an uneasy slumber.

* * *

The next day wore on, and Zuko didn’t show up to play pai sho. She wondered if she had offended him; she should have known better than to touch his scar. Now the one thing that was making her imprisonment bearable was gone.

It wasn’t until after dinner that he showed up. There was a subtle change in his demeanor, hesitancy peeking through his usual bluster. He stood in the doorway, silent.

“Um. Hi.” Katara felt someone had to say something.

“Yes, hello,” he said formally.

More silence.

Zuko cleared his throat. “Listen, I need to… thank you. For yesterday. For this.” He held up his hand. “I realized, that I never. That I didn’t actually... thank you. Yesterday.”

“Oh. Well. Ah. You’re welcome,” she said weakly. She wasn’t sure how to react to this new side of Zuko.

“I want to do something for you.” Another pause. “You know, as thanks.”

“Oh, you don’t—”

“I do. I will.” He motioned for her to follow him out of the door. “But, uh, don’t try anything.”

Trotting after him, she asked, “Where are we going?”

“This way.” Zuko took a sharp turn down an adjoining hallway, then another turn. Surreptitiously, Katara surveyed her surroundings. All metal. She stayed on alert for anything that might be an opportunity to escape but the hallways were bare and bleak.

* * *

Katara gasped with pleasure as they emerged onto the deck of the ship, feasting her eyes on the brilliant night sky that she hadn’t seen in weeks. She breathed in deeply; the ocean air was exhilarating. Her hair blew in the wind, seemingly trying to make its own bid for freedom. She basked in the moon shining down on her. It filled her with renewed hope.

Zuko watched as she ran out in front of him.

Spinning happily, she called after him, “What are you waiting for?” 

Crossing the deck, he joined her, marveling at how gorgeous she looked. Her blue eyes sparkled in the starlight. The cool bite of the wind turned her cheekbones rosy, flushing her with vivacity. She was truly in her element, surrounded by water and bathed in moonlight, the two essential components of her power as a bender.

He’d never seen anyone so utterly captivating before.

She pulled Zuko to the railing and he let himself be pulled. Together they leaned over to watch the water spray up around the side of the ship. The moon cast a long trail of light through the water, shimmering in the waves. For a moment, she didn’t feel like a prisoner at all anymore.

She turned to Zuko, smiling. “Thank you. This was… unexpected.”

“But you like it?”

“I do.” She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply once more, immersing herself in the scent of the ocean and the night. The wind whipped around them and Katara shivered. She was wearing the red one-strap dress and her shoulders were bare.

“You’re cold. Here,” Zuko said as he shrugged his cloak from his shoulders and wrapped it around her. His arms encircled her along with the garment, and he imagined that she leaned into him, just for a moment, before he returned his arms to his sides.

They stood side-by-side at the edge of the ship, admiring the night in silence for some time.

Eventually Katara turned to him, breaking the stillness, “So, how _is_ your hand, anyway?”

He held it up for her inspection. “Good as new.”

She took it, twisting it around so she could inspect it from different angles. She was standing very close to Zuko and could feel the heat emanating off him in contrast with the cool night air. He wore a sleeveless vest, cut into a deep V which, without his cloak, managed to show off both his thick, muscular arms and his toned chest.

She fought the impulse to reach out and slide her hands along his chest, caressing him under the fabric of his vest. It felt as though some unseen force was pushing her toward him.

He looked down at her with a soft expression. Her hands still held his, and he felt the urge to snatch her to him. He tilted his face toward hers, wondering what it would feel like to kiss her.

Katara gazed at him, feeling in a trance as his face inched closer to hers. Her heart raced. She could almost feel his lean strength enveloping her.

Then, a gust of wind shook her from her reverie.

Katara abruptly dropped Zuko’s hand, stepping back uncertainly. _What is coming over me?_ _He is my captor. My enemy. Fire Nation! The Fire Lord’s son, of all things. I must be losing my mind. I need to get away from him before I do something I’ll regret._

Zuko grimaced as she drew away from him. _Stupid of me to have such foolish daydreams._ He knew full well that Katara would not be around him if she had any choice, but it still stung to see her pull away like he was a plague-carrier or something. He berated himself, reminding himself that of course she didn’t want him—would never want _him_. She was just biding her time until she could be reunited with the Avatar, his sworn enemy. He wondered what there was between her and the scrawny monk. A surge of jealousy coursed through his veins.

“I—uh. This was, um, nice. But I’m, um, getting tired.” Katara stammered.

“Yes.” Zuko replied stiffly. “Time to return to your room.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come find me on Tumblr, [dacamia-is-me](https://dacamia-is-me.tumblr.com/). I'm mostly a lurker but I'd love to say hi!


	5. Chapter 5

Zuko arrived the next day for pai sho, as usual. He seemed distracted and tense, not saying a word about the night before. He’d received a message from General Zhao that morning, a thinly veiled request for updates which was little more than an excuse to taunt Zuko for his inability to catch the Avatar. It all but called him pathetic and an embarrassment to the Fire Nation. _Weak._

He would be damned before he’d let anyone think he was weak.

Katara thought his strange mood must be something to do with the previous night. As they played, she thought maybe if she brought it up, the strained atmosphere might dissipate.

“Thanks for taking me up to the deck last night. That was nice of you.”

Zuko frowned at her from across the table. “Don’t call me that. I’m not nice.”

“I just meant, you can be. When you want to,” she said quietly.

Zuko felt his temper flare up. He was not _nice._ Nice people were pushovers. Nice people were preyed on by the strong. He would not allow anyone to be victorious over him.

“Shut up! Do not call me that again.” Zuko shouted, slamming down his pai sho piece. “I was just bored and needed to pass the time until the Avatar comes to pick up his bait.”

Now it was Katara’s turn to feel angry. And hurt. After what had almost happened between them last night… but of course, she meant nothing to him. How could she ever have thought, even for a moment, that there was a decent person in there? That there might be something more between them. How could she forget that he was just using her to capture her friends and further the Fire Nation’s conquest of the other nations?

“Right, that’s all I am to you, just bait for Aang!”

“That’s right.” Zuko replied, ignoring the slight pang in his heart.

Katara simmered in resentment, continuing the game simply out of habit but not speaking to Zuko. Mid-match, he executed a skillful deception in his strategy using a series of moves Katara had never encountered before.

Her wrath boiled over, “What was that?!”

The move shouldn’t have been allowed, yet somehow it was technically within the rules.

“What do you mean? You’re just upset because I’m beating you this time.”

“Sure, you’re winning.” Katara continued under her breath, “Making dishonorable moves like that, no big surprise there I guess.” Her emotions roiled within, manifesting in a sudden need to antagonize the fire prince to firmly remind herself who, and what, he really was. Not that she needed much reminding, at the moment.

Zuko went deadly quiet. Then came his voice, even and restrained, “What did you say?”

“I said,” Katara spoke up, knowing she was entering dangerous territory but not caring, “that you are using underhanded, _dishonorable_ , tactics!”

“And what would you know of honor?” Menace crept into his voice, smoldering just under the surface.

“More than you!” The turmoil erupted in a torrent of words, “You’re a terrible person, you know that? Always following us. Hunting the Avatar. Trying to capture the world’s last hope for peace. Taking me prisoner. But what do you care? You’re the Fire Lord’s son. Spreading war and violence and hatred is in your blood.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I don’t?! How dare you! You have no idea what this war has put me through.”

“And I don’t care.” Zuko exclaimed, jumping up.

“I hate you!”

“I don’t have to listen to this. Especially not from the likes of you.” He stormed from the room, slamming the door on his way out.

Katara wilted onto the floor, weeping. She felt more alone than ever, now. How much longer would she have to be here? When would Aang and Sokka come?

* * *

Days passed and Zuko didn’t return. Katara told herself she didn’t want to see him anyway, that he was the enemy and a monster—but she knew deep down that wasn’t the case, even in spite of their fight.

And she did want to see him, no matter the logical side of her brain’s opinion on the matter. She missed his visits, and the way he would very nearly smile when she teased him or when he got the advantage in pai sho. The way his eyes softened when he looked at her, but only when he thought she wasn’t looking. The unexpected thoughtfulness he had shown, bringing her up on deck that night.

But she wasn’t left completely to her own devices. Even as Zuko failed make an appearance, Iroh came to play pai sho with her. He seemed so grandfatherly, which didn’t fit with anything she’d heard about him: the cunning Fire Nation general, the Dragon of the West.

And even though he roundly trounced her each time they faced off, it was nice to have company.

“Do not worry about my nephew, Katara. He will come around.” Iroh said, as he once again defeated her in what could barely be called a match.

“I don’t care about that,” she lied.

“Okay,” Iroh agreed placidly. She got the sense he could see right through her. “Well, that is all for today.” He carefully packed up the pai sho board and placed their teacups back on the tray.

“See you later,” she said.

“Do not be so hard on yourself. You are in a difficult situation,” he said as he left.

Once he was out of sight, Katara stuck her tongue out at the door.

* * *

Zuko finally came back, joining her dinner again one night and acting like nothing had happened. His mood seemed to have improved over the days of their separation. However, Katara, never being one to just let things alone when she was upset, couldn’t help but bring it up toward the end of the meal.

“Hey, listen. I’m sorry I yelled at you before,” she began.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“It’s just that for so long now whenever I would imagine the face of the enemy, it was your face.”

“My face.” Zuko’s raised his hand to his face, his fingertips grazing his scar. “I see.”

“No, no, that’s not what I meant.”

“Okay.”

“Try to understand. The Fire Nation took my mother away from me.”

A sympathetic expression crossed Zuko’s features. “I’m sorry.”

Neither of them spoke as she shed a few quiet tears.

Unexpectedly, Zuko said, “That’s something we have in common.”

Katara tried to wipe her tears away but more simply took their place. “What?”

“My mother. She disappeared the same night my grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon, died. I think… my father had something to do with it.” He wasn’t sure why he was telling her this.

Eyes widening, Katara put her hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry. That’s…” She was at a loss for words.

“I’m just saying. I get it.” Zuko looked uncomfortable.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No.”

“Okay, then I’ll talk. My mother was killed in a raid. I was only eight.” Katara absently raised her hand to touch her necklace, forgetting that it wasn’t there. “She was brave and kind and strong. They were looking for waterbenders. She died while I ran to find my father. I think… I think she died to protect the last waterbender in our tribe.”

“You.” A peculiar look of recognition crossed over Zuko’s features.

Her voice wavered. “Me.”

Zuko was quiet for some time. He could almost hear his mother’s voice when she woke him in the night, the last time he ever saw her: “ _Zuko, please my love, listen to me. Everything I’ve done, I’ve done to protect you.”_

“I should go,” he said, his voice hoarse.

He left without another word.

* * *

Later that evening as Katara sat up reading (an incredibly dull account of resource allocation and how it affected the economy in different regions of the Fire Nation; no wonder these books were so dusty), Zuko appeared in her doorway once more.

Glancing up, she said, “What do you want?” She felt exhausted by his mood swings and from talking about her mother only a few hours earlier. As soon as he’d left, she’d felt stupid, questioning why she had opened up to him when he so obviously didn’t care about her and was just using her to trap her friends. He was so unpredictable. One moment he was seemingly interested in her and thoughtful—occasionally even playful—and then angry and ready to erupt the next. She didn’t know which Zuko had just arrived, and she was sick of trying to figure him out.

The firelight from the lanterns in her room highlighted the hard lines of his form as he hung in the doorway, fiddling with something in his pocket.

“Listen, I’m pretty tired Zuko. What is it?”

Despite her words, she felt charged with a tingling energy as his golden gaze rested on her. The air in the room felt electric, like the feeling before a thunderstorm—and it was building. Was this going to happen every time she saw him? It confused and frustrated her. She was supposed to hate him.

Finally he stepped into the room, letting the door swing closed behind him.

“I thought about what you said. About your mother.” He pulled his hand out of his pocket. Cradled in his palm was Katara’s mother’s necklace. “I wanted to give this back to you.”

Katara’s heart swelled with joy, tears filling her eyes as she jumped up to cross the room. She took the necklace gingerly, her fingertips sweeping Zuko’s palm and causing an unexpected shiver to glide up her spine. Ignoring it as best she could, she turned the necklace around in her hands, reveling in its familiar texture and weight as she tied it back around her neck.

Zuko watched her silently, feeling intoxicated by her closeness.

“Thank you so much for this. You don’t know how much it means to me.”

 _Yes, I do._ Zuko thought. However, what he said was, “Well, it wasn’t much use to me since you won’t give me any information about the Avatar anyway.”

“I don’t believe that. This was very kind of you.”

“Don’t say that.” His voice was tight. There she went again, labeling him with words that were practically synonyms for weakness. He remembered his father calling him a coward after he wouldn’t fight him in Agni Kai. He wouldn’t let anyone think he was a coward, ever again.

“I’m serious. You know, I think that deep down, underneath that whole vengeful fire prince thing, you really are quite a _nice_ —"

A glower took over Zuko’s face as he exploded into action, seizing the small waterbender’s shoulders and shoving her backward. His momentum continued as her back hit the wall, causing his body to push fully against the length of hers, immovable. It happened so quickly, Katara barely had time to feel shocked, let alone react, as he pinned her to the hard metal wall.

“Shut up!” he hissed with his face was so close to hers that their noses touched. Katara felt the blood pulsing through her veins; her heart hammered. He continued, “I told you not to call me that. I am not, and never will be, _nice_.”

As he spoke, he pushed against her harder, his pelvis and muscular torso seeking to grind her into the wall. Trapped, she could feel how powerful the firebender was. Only Katara didn’t feel afraid. She felt defenseless, sure… and utterly aroused.

The feel of his body pressed against her so intimately flooded her with overpowering desire—desire that she’d been trying so desperately to keep under control these past weeks. She thought that if he wanted to, he’d be able to take her right there against the wall and she wouldn’t be able to do anything about it. The thought made her feel a bit ashamed, but a thrill went through her at the notion. Heat pooled in her stomach. She was overwhelmed by all of the things she wanted Zuko to do to her. All the things she wanted to do to him.

She stared at his lips, now only inches from her own. Involuntarily, she released a small whimper.

Zuko drew his face back by millimeters at the sound. He hadn’t noticed the affect he was having on her.

Katara didn’t think. She crashed her lips onto his.

For a split-second he froze, his whole body going rigid. Katara pulled her mouth away, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment. But before she could think of something to say—and what could she _possibly_ say?—he surged forward, kissing her with unbridled ferocity.

Her head spun with their proximity as he pushed against her harder. She rocked her hips against him. Zuko groaned into his throat, not breaking the kiss but instead deepening it. When his tongue grazed her bottom lip demandingly, she obeyed at once, parting her lips to allow him entry. His hands released her shoulders, flying up to grip her hair and trying to draw her even closer, impossibly close. Now she wouldn’t be able to pull away from the kiss even if she had wanted to. But pulling away was the last thing on her mind. Her knees felt weak and she wrapped her arms around him for support, urging him still closer against her.

He kissed her without restraint, which she returned in equal measure. He nipped her bottom lip lightly, enough to sting, and she rocked her body against him again and again as they kissed. Giving as good as he got, he ground against her powerfully, and she gasped as she felt his cock straining against her through their clothes.

It was better than she had ever _imagined._ She’d had sex before, with a boyfriend she’d had in the Water Tribe at 17, but no one had ever lit her on fire like this.

Zuko ended the kiss, causing her to emit a low whine of disappointment. He looked at her for just a moment, pupils dilated with lust, seeking to take her in. Then he lowered his head, planting hot, searing kisses along her jawline and down her neck. She clutched at his shoulders, losing herself in the sensation of his mouth on the sensitive skin.

As he continued trailing his lips down her neck and across the swell of her breasts, Katara moaned and arched her back. Delicious heat poured through her body in waves. She felt as though she was about to combust.

Unable to withstand it any longer, she grabbed his face and urged his mouth back against hers. Their tongues intertwined, tasting each other. Now he ran his hands along her body, feeling her curves and creating an ache deep inside her. She wondered if she would ever be able to think of anything else after this.

She wrapped a leg around him, all too conscious that her groin was now pressed against his cock as they moved together. Zuko’s hands slid under her thighs, lifting her and wresting her other leg up around him as well. His fingers felt unbearably hot under her dress against the bare skin of her legs. She locked her ankles behind his waist, grasping urgently at the back of his head as he kissed her greedily against the wall. He was drowned in desire, every nerve in his body screaming that no one else should ever be allowed to touch her this way, that she was _his_ waterbender and he _would_ have her.

Without removing his lips from hers, Zuko swung her away from the wall and carried her to the bed, plunging them onto it roughly. Katara lay on her back with her legs still wrapped around him, panting as he grasped both of her hands in his and held them firmly to the bed.

Her mind went blank, overtaken by sheer need. She bucked her hips, rubbing against his cock and eliciting a guttural moan from him. She felt feverish with the desire for him to possess her. It didn’t matter that they were enemies, that he was Fire Nation and she Water Tribe, that he was hunting her friends. Nothing else mattered but his soft and insistent lips on hers, his lean body on top of her, his cock throbbing against the most intimate part of her.

He sucked on her bottom lip, teeth adding the slightest sting to the pleasure, and she let out a desperate little groan.

Grinning, Zuko finally tore his lips from hers to examine her beneath him. Her lips were swollen; she was breathing heavily and flushed with need. He had never seen anything so breathtaking in his life.

“I think you _like_ being my prisoner,” he said, his voice husky.

Katara was too far gone to speak, yearning for his lips back against hers. It was all she could do to moan again and strain toward him, until he leaned back in and captured her lips. She kissed him hungrily, Zuko’s mouth driving her further and further from intelligibility.

Before long, however, he pulled away again.

 _My prisoner?,_ his own words reverberated in his head as he looked down at her, pinned beneath him with her legs spread, looking thoroughly disheveled and completely vulnerable.

Through the fog of his lust, a glimmer of horror rose in his chest. Zuko backed off of her hastily. “This isn’t right.”

Only aware of the intolerable loss of his exhilarating heat and the thrill of his weight on top of her, Katara sat up to catch his hand as he backed away.

“Wha?” she said hazily. “Zuko, it’s okay. I want—”

A monstrous crash sounded from somewhere above them. The deck of the ship. Zuko gave her one last uncertain look before pulling his hand away.

“Zuko, I—” Katara barely registered what was going on, still filled with arousal and desire.

“It’s the Avatar.” Zuko’s jaw set.

Katara sat on the bed, stunned, her body aching for Zuko’s touch, as he rushed from the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm super excited to share this chapter! I am a sucker for a good wall slam. I hope you liked it too ;)


	6. Chapter 6

Zuko emerged on the ship’s deck to see the Avatar’s giant sky bison stomping around and slamming soldiers out of the way as they frantically tried to subdue him.

“Give us Katara and no one else needs to get hurt!” Aang shouted, trying to reason with Zuko’s men as they fended off his airbending attacks and blasted him with return fire.

One of Appa’s huge legs lashed out, smashing a nearby soldier and flinging him into the deck’s railing.

“Except him.” Sokka said.

Appa hit another soldier with his tail, sending the man overboard.

“Annnd him. Okay, you guys should really just leave the bison alone.” Standing close to Appa, Sokka looked smug when the soldiers backed away, giving the animal a wide berth.

“Avatar.” Zuko strode confidently toward them. Around him, the battle came to a tenuous pause. “I agree, no one else needs to get hurt. Give yourself up and I’ll… release Katara.” He faltered, hit by a strange reluctance. He shook it off—the whole point of taking Katara captive was to capture the Avatar instead, after all.

Sokka held his boomerang at the ready. “As if we trust _you_. You better not have hurt my sister, or—”

“Or what?” Zuko scoffed. “Have you forgotten how easily I defeated you before?”

“You haven’t defeated me.” Aang said.

“Because you keep running away like a scared little boy. If you had the guts to face me, then we’d see.”

Aang exchanged a meaningful look with Sokka, who returned the look with a barely perceptible nod.

Aang said, “I’m not giving myself up.”

“Then I’m not giving you Katara.” Zuko assumed a battle stance and the soldiers around him tensed. “And if you’re not going to surrender then I’ll just have to take you myself.”

Zuko thrust out his hand, ending the conversation with a burst of fire that was soon followed by attacks from the rest of his soldiers. Aang deftly danced out of the way, flying into the air on his glider and bombarding the firebenders with gusts that took them off their feet.

In the commotion, Sokka disappeared into the interior of the ship.

* * *

Minutes had passed and Katara was still sitting dazed on the bed.

_Holy shit, what did I just do?_

She heard the telltale metal scraping noise that meant the bolt on the outside of her door was being opened.

She felt a flutter in her stomach. It must be Zuko coming back. Her skin still felt on fire from his touch, her brain fuzzy. Before her conscious mind could weigh in, she found herself hoping they could pick up where they left off.

The door opened. It was Sokka.

Katara blinked.

“Katara!” Sokka cried, dashing into the room and pulling her into a relieved hug. “Katara, what’s wrong? Are you okay? What did they do to you?”

She shook her head to clear her mind. _Not Zuko…_ _Sokka. Sokka! Sokka and Aang are here! Finally!_

“I—I’m okay, Sokka. It’s so good to see you!” Coming back to the present, Katara returned the hug fiercely.

“Come on, we’re getting out of here.” Sokka grabbed her hand and led her from the room. All along the hallway, the doors stood open where Sokka had methodically checked every room as he went, before finding hers. Luckily, Aang’s diversion was working, drawing all the soldiers away. Their path was clear.

When they reached the deck, Aang and Appa were still fighting with Zuko and the Fire Nation soldiers. Iroh had joined them, sticking close to Zuko’s side.

Noticing Katara and Sokka appear from the ship’s depths, Aang flew around so Zuko would turn his back and give them a chance to sneak over to Appa unopposed. When Katara saw Zuko, she was struck by an onslaught of mixed feelings—the memory of him kissing her mere moments ago juxtaposed with him now, angry and attacking Aang—but she didn’t have time to sort them out at the moment.

They were halfway to Appa when one of the Fire Nation soldiers spotted them.

“Hey! Stop!”

Zuko whirled around. “Katara!” _Don’t go._

Katara froze. As Zuko looked at her, the anger disappeared from his face, replaced by a flicker of dismay. Sokka tugged on Katara’s arm, urging her to keep moving.

“I thought it was me you were after!” Aang called out.

_Right,_ Zuko thought _._ He couldn’t afford to let himself get distracted. Too much was at stake. He tried to put the waterbender out of his thoughts and focus on what was important.

He hurled a fireball at Aang, which flew so close to the airbender that it would have singed his hair, if he had any.

Meanwhile, soldiers closed in on Sokka and Katara. The moon was out, and with skill borne of necessity, Katara was able to pull a thick strand of water from the ocean and push some of the soldiers away.

“Appa!” Sokka shouted. Appa snorted and charged toward them. The remaining soldiers either dove out of the way or were knocked aside in his path.

Sokka leapt onto Appa’s back and held out his hand to Katara, pulling her up after him.

“Aang! Let’s go!” Sokka yelled as he threw his boomerang at a soldier who had just finished sending a fireball at Appa. “Yip yip!”

Aang wove and dodged in a sky full of flames, gliding back to land on Appa as the bison rose into the air.

When they were high above the ship, out of range of firebending attacks, Katara looked down to see Zuko staring up at them, watching them go. She was surprised to feel a small pang of loss.

* * *

_I kissed Zuko. I kissed ZUKO._

The cold wind whipped around Katara as she lay curled up on Appa’s back, unable to sleep. She was still reeling with everything that had happened, so quickly, from the moment Zuko had entered her room. It seemed like one moment she was underneath the fire prince, feeling lit aflame herself, and the next she was taking Sokka’s hand as he pulled her up onto Appa’s back.

The instant they were away, Aang and Sokka had, of course, pelted her with apologies and questions. They wanted to know whether she’d been hurt and how she’d been treated. She assured them she was fine—although nothing could be farther from how she felt in that moment.

_What the hell came over me back there?_

The boys had continued talking, explaining the spirit trouble they’d run into and how Aang had been the only person who could have helped the villagers—something about another angry nature spirit. Katara was only half-listening as they chattered, her thoughts far away and spinning hopelessly.

What would Sokka say if he found out what she’d been doing, even as they arrived to rescue her? And what she’d _wanted_ to do. What she _would_ have done, if she hadn’t been interrupted. And worse, how would Aang feel? She knew he had a huge crush on her, though so far she’d found herself unable to reciprocate. She could almost see the confused, hurt expression on his puppy-dog face.

Now, she lay awake to the sounds of their snores, unable to stop thinking about Zuko. She began to think about how the night would have gone if Aang and Sokka hadn’t shown up when they did. She could almost still feel Zuko’s impossibly hot hands on her body, hungrily exploring every inch of her as she pressed herself into him.

She shivered.

_He is our enemy_ , she told herself firmly. _He is surly and terrible and always chasing us. His intentions are bad. He is Fire Nation royalty._ Clearly, she was just experiencing a physical impulse, a simple unavoidable reaction to his inconveniently handsome face and flawless body. She would just need to purge herself of this troublesome attraction.

But deep down, she knew it would not be so easy. As she finally drifted to sleep, it wasn’t lust that filled her mind, but the image of Zuko looking across the pai sho board at her, the shadow of a smile across his features as she teased him.

* * *

Zuko paced in his quarters, unbearably frustrated. His plan to bait the Avatar to him had worked, but the infuriating airbender had gotten away, again.

Oddly, though, this was not the thing that bothered him the most. No, it was the waterbender. The unexpectedly playful… annoyingly stubborn… unreasonably beautiful… and maddeningly irresistible waterbender.

The way she had kissed him. No one had ever kissed him like that.

And now she was gone.

He paced his room again. In the heat of the moment, he had thought she had wanted him. But that couldn’t possibly be—she hated him. She hated the Fire Nation and everything he stood for. She would never want someone like him. His chest constricted as doubts swirled around his heart.

Was he remembering the night right? Or had he just _thought_ , when he shoved her against her wall, that she had kissed him first? She had been his captive, after all. What choice did she have? What if she _hadn’t_ been willing? What if she was afraid of what he’d do to her if she said no?

Zuko buried his head in his hands. He would never forgive himself if he had forced her.

He went over the memory again. From what he could recall, she had been just as enthusiastic as he was. But was that right? Could he be sure? Had she really responded with such feeling… or was that just what he wanted to believe?

He thought of the way she recoiled from him when he’d almost kissed her on the ship’s deck.

What had he just done?

* * *

_~~~S1 E10: Jet to S1 E15: Bato of the Water Tribe~~~_

Katara had adventures with Aang and Sokka over the next few weeks, but she still wasn’t able to purge Zuko from her thoughts. She felt like she was always looking over her shoulder for him. To be fair, they all did that, knowing he was after them—but she was ashamed that a tiny part of her actually _wanted_ him to appear. She wondered what would happen when he did. How would she feel? How would _he_ feel? Nothing between them had really changed, they were still on opposite sides.

At the same time, she felt like everything had changed. She knew now what his face looked like with all the hard lines smoothed out, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. That he’d rather kiss a girl than punch a man. That he’d lost his mother too, and it pained him. That his body pressed against hers ignited her unlike anything she’d ever experienced.

And quite possibly would never experience again.

Shortly after leaving Zuko’s ship, they had run into a group of so-called freedom fighters and Katara threw herself at their charismatic leader, Jet. She was convinced that she just needed someone, an attractive someone, to help her forget about Zuko and the craving he’d let loose within her. But it was no use. Getting physical with Jet was… nice… but it was nothing like Zuko. No. With Zuko, she’d felt undone with just the brush of his finger along her lip. And when he’d had her against the wall, it had been like the firebender had lit an inferno within her—and she wouldn’t be satisfied until she could stand in the middle of the sun.

After her disappointing encounter with Jet, she wondered if she would ever feel that way again. And then, she felt even worse when Jet turned out to be a terrible person who wanted to murder civilians. Something must be seriously wrong with her taste in men.

Katara didn’t have long to wait before her path crossed Zuko’s again. Riding on the back of a shirshu—a frightening creature she had never seen before that could track anyone by smell alone—he cornered her and Sokka. As she had feared, her emotions betrayed her when, for a brief moment, she actually felt happy to see him again.

But he was as cold and implacable as ever. Especially when the bounty hunter referred to her as his “girlfriend.” His expression became unreadable and he refused to look her in the eye. He seemed determined to pretend that nothing had ever happened as he doggedly ignored the comment—and Katara—and focused only on the Avatar.

Katara felt a twinge of hurt. Maybe he hadn’t felt the same overpowering magnetism between them. Or maybe he did, but that was just how it always was for him? He was the fire prince. Perhaps incendiary passion was simply in his blood. And as royalty, he probably had as many women as he wanted; she was nothing special.

She had been right. Nothing had changed. Except she’d somehow been stupid enough to get herself infatuated with her enemy.

* * *

_~~~S1 E19-20: The Siege of the North~~~_

Their next meeting was at the Northern Water Tribe as Katara protected Aang while he ventured into the spirit world to seek help against the Fire Nation fleet. Since they’d last run into each other, Katara’s bending had grown much more powerful under Master Pakku’s tutelage. She’d also grown angrier with the fire prince, and though she’d never admit it, with herself.

This time, she matched him blow for blow, water against fire, as he tried to abduct Aang. The Zuko she knew from her time in captivity was nowhere to be seen. In fact, he seemed even meaner than before, like he was determined to antagonize her completely. He mocked her and her bending abilities. He insulted her, flinging the word “peasant” at her like a dirty epithet. After everything she’d shared with him, it hit her like a slap across the face.

But just when her anger was at its peak and she was convinced he’d never felt anything for her, she made a crucial mistake, leaving herself wide open for attack. He had the opportunity for a perfect shot—a direct hit—but his blast went wide at the last second, missing her entirely.

Given his usual precision, it couldn’t possibly have been an accident.

Katara didn’t stop to think about it, using the advantage to encase him in a cascade of ice against the side of the cave.

Unfortunately, her win lasted only moments, as the sun came over the horizon and fueled Zuko’s firebending, allowing him to defeat her and abscond with Aang. Katara was knocked unconscious against a wooden post by his parting shot.

She wasn’t awake to see him stop and gently check her pulse and the back of her head, making sure she wasn’t too seriously injured before scooping up the Avatar and disappearing into the snowstorm.

* * *

_~~~Book 2 Begins~~~_

Katara didn’t see Zuko again for a long time after the North Pole. She tried to bury her hurt at his biting comments, and the way he acted like nothing had even happened.

During all of her exploits with Aang and Sokka, she managed to all but drive the firebender from her thoughts. And when she did think of him, it was only to remind herself that she hated him.

Except when she’d half-wake in the middle of the night, the remnants of a dream of hot hands and insistent lips flushing her with yearning, making her kick off her blankets before she drifted back to sleep.

Nothing remained of the dreams by morning, leaving her confused as to why she was always waking up out of her sleeping bag and cold.

* * *

_~~~S2 E8: The Chase~~~_

He looked so different the next time she saw him. His shaved head and ponytail were gone, replaced by short black hair growing in and covering his head. He was wearing Earth Kingdom greens and he looked skinnier than she remembered.

But the change in his appearance was nothing compared to the difference in his actions. He and his uncle Iroh actually fought alongside Katara, Aang, Sokka, and Toph against his crazy sister, Azula. Katara couldn’t believe it. She’d seen the wanted posters, of course, but she assumed he’d still be out to catch the Avatar and win back his place in the Fire Nation.

Could it be that he had switched sides? She didn’t dare think it.

Before she could find out anything, Azula struck down Iroh and escaped. In his rage and grief, Zuko shot fire above their heads and screamed at them to leave, so they did.

Katara hoped Iroh was okay; he had always been kind to her. And regarding Zuko, she was more bewildered than ever. She told herself it didn’t matter, that anything that might have been between them had been snuffed out the moment she left his ship. They had been enemies and if they weren’t enemies anymore, then that must mean they were simply nothing. Acquaintances, at best, who may or may not be on the same side depending on the day.

Enemies, acquaintances, or… something else… she wished he’d let her help him. At least to heal Iroh.

* * *

_~~~S2 E11: The Desert~~~_

Katara stumbled through the never-ending expanse of sand, wearily compelling herself to put one foot in front of the other, just one more time.

And one more time.

And one more time.

Her mind became hazy from the heat and she wondered how much father she could go until she collapsed.

The sandstorm. They’d escaped from Wan Shi Tong's library only to find that sandbenders had bison-napped Appa. Aang was devastated. They’d set out immediately to find him but before they had gone far, the winds picked up. There’d been a wild sandstorm. Katara suspected it was the work of the sandbenders, trying to throw them off the trail.

She had barely been able to see her own hand in front her face as the wind whirled sand around them and whipped her eyes and skin, a thousand tiny stings. She heard the others shouting through the storm and tried to go to them so they could all grab hands and stay together. But even as she followed the sound of their voices, they seemed to be getting further away. Her only consolation was that it had sounded like they had all made it to each other.

When the storm finally cleared, she’d been completely alone. She’d never known desolation such as she felt, standing in the middle of a now-calm desert, surrounded by empty dunes on every side, utterly forsaken. It seemed nothing at all lived in the desert. That wasn’t surprising—what could survive here in this inhospitable wasteland?

She started walking immediately, knowing that it was only a matter of time until she succumbed to thirst or exposure. Whichever managed to get her first.

She had to find a village. Or shelter. Or water. She hoped she was going the right way, but it was impossible to truly know when everything looked the same in every direction. Refusing to cry—she needed to keep the moisture—she stubbornly plodded on.

As the sun began to sink, she lay down exhausted, silently thanking the spirits when the temperature finally relented. But she didn’t allow herself to rest for long. She knew her only chance was to travel at night when it was cool. She could rest during the day. She hoped she would find even just a small patch of shade by morning before the merciless heat sapped the rest of her strength.

Morning came, and with it, no shade. She trudged onward.

_I’m getting out of this desert._ She repeated to herself as she willed her legs to keep moving. It became a marching mantra as her heat-addled mind repeated it over and over again with every step.

She took careful sips from her waterskin, knowing it would have to be rationed if she was going to make it through the desert alive. She worried about the others—they hadn’t been carrying much water. She tried to keep faith that they had figured out a solution. They would make it, she had to believe that. She would be reunited with them just as soon as she found her way out. Aang had probably found some desert animal for them to ride, and they were all waiting for her at the next village right now.

That must be it…

Katara stumbled, then crumpled onto the sand. Her throat was parched. Her entire body ached. Nausea tingled in her throat. She couldn’t throw up now. She had to take another drink.

Only a few drops were left. She guzzled them eagerly.

Wrenching herself upright, she tried desperately to bend any water out of the air around her. The return was only a few meagre droplets—the air was too dry. And it took such great effort to do any bending in her current state, she wasn’t sure how much longer she’d be able to keep it up.

_I’m getting out of this desert. I’m getting out of this desert. I’m getting out of this desert._

She lay down for a rest, taking off the outermost layer of her clothing and using it to shade her face from the sun.

When she woke, she didn’t feel rested at all. She tried again to pull water from air. She managed to get even less than before, but it would have to be enough.

Two days passed much the same, the only difference being her waning strength. Finally, on the eve of the third night, she thought she could see a spattering of rooftops on the horizon.

She didn’t get her hopes up. She could barely see straight anymore, and she had thought she’d seen things before—villages, an oasis, Appa—only to have them melt away as soon as she approached. Surely this too was nothing more than a mirage.

Still, she slogged toward it.

* * *

A fight broke out in the tavern of the desert town, as the two powerful earthbender bounty hunters who had recognized Zuko and Iroh from their wanted posters fought with the greedy townsfolk for the right to capture them.

Sizing up Iroh as the greater threat, the earthbenders had acted quickly to encase him in a box of earth.

Zuko fought ferociously. Uncle’s contact, by the looks of him just a simple old man who lived in the desert, grabbed Zuko’s arm, trying to urge him out the door.

“I am not leaving without Uncle.” Zuko spat, wrenching his arm away and sending another fire blast toward the bounty hunters.

“Nephew,” came Uncle’s voice, muffled from within the center of the makeshift rock prison, “Do not worry about me. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Go, now. I will meet up with you again in Ba Sing Se.”

“I’m not leaving you!” Zuko dodged the onslaught of rocks as the earthbenders endeavored to entrap him the same way as Uncle.

“Please, nephew. Do it for me.”

“Argh!” Zuko growled in frustration, shooting another wave of fire all around him. Before relenting and allowing the old man to lead him out of the building, he said, “Ba Sing Se, then. I will find you, Uncle.”

He spent the next two days hiding in a storage room. The old man brought him food and water and told him to keep his head down. The entire village was in an uproar, searching for the fugitive and speculating about what they would do with the reward money.

On the first day, the bounty hunter that had stayed behind checked the storage room, clearly not expecting to find anything. He missed Zuko in his cursory search while Zuko hid in a large pot, beneath a rose-fern.

When the bounty hunter gave up and left the village to catch up with his companion, the old man brought Zuko an outfit with a hood to hide his face, along with supplies for the road.

“Why are you helping me?” Zuko demanded.

“Let’s just say I am an old friend of your uncle’s. Safe journey.” The old man left.

Zuko waited until the middle of the night to leave the storage room. Flitting from shadow to shadow, he reached the outskirts of the village in short order. He adjusted the pack on his shoulders, preparing for a long night of walking, when he saw a humanoid shape in the distance. Whoever they were, they were coming from the direction of the desert and stumbling badly.

_Whatever_. He thought. _Not my problem._

Turning his back, he took a few steps in the direction he needed to go to reach Ba Sing Se. Then, he stopped, glancing over his shoulder at the shape again.

As he watched, whoever it was collapsed into the sand. It was obvious the person was not going to make it on their own. Zuko groaned and turned around, covering the distance to the figure in quick strides. He would just get them to the old man, and be on his way.

As he drew close, he furrowed his brow to see the figure was clothed in Water Tribe attire.

_It can’t be._

Zuko flipped the person over, eliciting a weak moan.

It was Katara.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to say THANK YOU so much to everyone who has given kudos, bookmarked, subscribed, and commented! I am honestly floored by the interest this has generated. It was so much fun to write and I am so happy that people are enjoying reading it, too. 
> 
> And I love love LOVE reading all the comments - they genuinely make my day. So, thanks, again :)


	7. Chapter 7

Katara felt strong hands flipping her to her front. _Is this real?_

She thought she heard a sharp intake of breath. _Or maybe it was only the wind._

Arms went under her back and then her head was pillowed on something soft. _What could that be?_

She struggled to open her eyelids, squinting into the night. Everything looked out of focus. A face swam through her field of vision.

It was Zuko’s face. He looked alarmed.

Now she knew she must truly be delirious.

“ _you. it would be you_ ” she croaked, raising a limp hand in the general direction of his face.

“What are you talking about? What are you doing out here? Where are your friends?” Zuko pelted her with questions but she only smiled dreamily, closing her eyes again.

“ _not the worst way to go…_ ” she muttered, passing out.

“Katara!” he shouted, holding her head in his lap.

He shook her shoulders vigorously, but she didn’t stir. Her lips were dry and cracked, her skin was dusty, and she was burning up. It was obvious she had been wandering the desert for some time. But she was still breathing, faintly.

 _No, no no no no no no._ Zuko’s heart hammered in his chest. He fumbled with the bag on his back, swinging it beside him and pulling out a full waterskin.

He propped her up against him and tipped it to her lips, making sure it went into her mouth. For a moment, nothing happened and Zuko feared he was too late.

Then, she sputtered, her eyes cracking open a fraction as the violent motion wrested her from her stupor.

“more” she mouthed, her voice barely a whisper.

Zuko carefully fed her water, as much as she could take at a time, until she fell unconscious again in his lap.

* * *

Zuko paced the room anxiously. It had been almost twelve hours since he found her, and she hadn’t woken up once. A glass of water sat untouched at her bedside.

The old man, Fung, joined Zuko in the room, looking at the patient and clicking his tongue thoughtfully.

“What are you doing? You’re just standing around. Do something. I thought you said she was going to recover from this. She hasn’t woken up all day.”

“Patience, patience, young man.” Fung put a hand to her forehead, then gently checked her pulse.

“Now isn’t the time for patience!” Zuko threw a hand up in frustration. “Look at her.”

“I am looking at her.” Fung smiled serenely, further annoying Zuko. “I said she would recover, and she will. She has the desert sickness. But you brought her to me in time.”

“What do you mean, ‘desert sickness’? Speak plainly, old man.”

“A mix of dehydration and heat exhaustion. Happens to anyone who is out in the desert for too long, except the sandbenders of course.”

“You’re supposed to fix it. So fix it.”

Fung gave Zuko an indulgent look. “She needs rest.”

“And water. You said she’s dehydrated. She hasn’t had any water.”

“Very well. Let’s see what we can do.” Fung brought Katara to a sitting position, propping his arm behind her back to hold her upright. He reached for the water but Zuko got to it first.

“I’ll do it.”

“As you wish.”

Katara groaned, stirring just enough to drink the water as Zuko tipped the glass to her lips. She drank half the cup before becoming unresponsive.

“That’s not enough. She needs more.” Zuko said.

“It’s enough, for now. Come, help me lay her back down.” Fung began to swiftly tilt Katara backward.

Zuko intervened, putting his hands on her back to stop Fung. “Watch it! You’re going too fast. She’s sick.” Zuko lowered her himself, much more slowly. With a frown of worry, he brushed the hair from her face.

“She must mean a lot to you.”

“What? I—I barely know her.”

“It is obvious you care about her.”

Zuko glared at him. “How long until she’s better?”

“A few days, maybe.” Fung placed a reassuring hand on Zuko’s shoulder, squeezing. “She _will_ be all right.”

“She better be. Or I’ll rain misery on this little backwater town of yours,” he grumbled.

Fung only smiled and left the room.

* * *

The next morning, Katara shifted and tossed in the bed, groaning.

“ _mom?”_

Zuko jolted awake. Sometime in the night, he must have drifted off sitting upright on the small stool at her bedside.

“Katara!” He grabbed her hand.

“ _i don’t want seaweed noodles again”_

Zuko’s face fell. She wasn’t really there.

He jumped up and yelled out of the door, “Hey! Fung! She’s awake. Sort of. Get in here!”

He returned to her side. She was staring blankly at the ceiling, mumbling gibberish. He wanted to hold her hand again, but he hesitated, then withdrew. He scowled. _I’m not cut out for this! What am I supposed to do? And where the hell is that old man?_

“Fung!” he shouted again. Katara didn’t even seem to hear him.

“I am here,” the old man said, entering the room with a bowl of something bland and soupy-looking.

Zuko snatched the bowl from him. “About time. She’s talking. That’s good… right?”

“Yes, it is good. We’ll see if she can eat.” Fung propped her up again.

“ _wheeee”_ Katara smiled.

“She’s delirious,” Zuko said, almost accusingly.

“Get some of my soup into her. With enough water, rest, and this soup, she’ll be in her right mind in no time.”

“You said that before,” he groused, bringing a spoon to Katara’s mouth.

When she’d eaten enough of the mixture to satisfy Fung, they lowered her back to the bed.

“How do you know if it’s working?” Zuko demanded. He wished there was more he could do. He felt so impotent, just sitting by her bedside while she could be dying for all he knew.

“ _aang, i knew you’d find me”_

Zuko clenched his jaw. Aang didn’t find her. _He_ found her. The Avatar had just left her to die in the desert.

“I know it’s working because she’s not already dead.” Fung answered simply.

“How reassuring.”

* * *

In the quiet hours of the night, Zuko sat up, watching Katara sleep. He was afraid if he closed his eyes, he might wake up to find she’d simply stopped breathing while he slept, no matter what Fung said.

As he sat awake, he thought about the time she had healed his burned hand, even though he’d been keeping her prisoner and she owed him nothing.

He grimaced. And how had he repaid that kindness?

In all the time that had passed, he had thought about _that_ night on his ship a lot. And the more he thought about it, the more he thought she couldn’t possibly have wanted him, that he’d just been fooling himself. He knew who he was. He was just lucky to be born, after all. He wasn’t meant to have good things. Or to capture the interest of a woman like her. And certainly not after the Agni Kai—his father had all but guaranteed that no woman would look twice at him… except maybe in shock.

He was convinced that what he’d done was reprehensible. And every time he’d run into her since, he felt ashamed of his actions, positive that she must hate him even more than ever, that she must be afraid he would try it again. He was determined not to make it worse for her.

But it was difficult. Even though they’d been on opposite sides, whenever he saw her, he felt a desperate flood of desire, as inexorable as the tide. He wanted to rush to her and crush her against him. He wanted her so much it blistered. He longed to taste her again, to feel her body pressed to his. He imagined how it would feel to draw out gasps of pleasure from her.

And the worst part was, it wasn’t only a physical need. He also ached to joke around with her and hear her laugh, to play pai sho and Would You Rather, and to forget that he was the banished and disgraced prince of the Fire Nation and that she was a Water Tribe peasant who traveled with the Avatar.

That was why he couldn’t trust himself around her. He’d been careful to keep her at arms’ length, to be harsh and unpleasant, because the alternative was unacceptable.

The best thing now, he knew, would be for him to be long gone by the time she woke up— _really_ woke up. But… he had to see with his own eyes that she was going to be okay.

_I’ll just leave right away once I know for sure that she’s recovering. Then she won’t have to… feel afraid or uncomfortable… because of me. And what I did._

* * *

A few days passed, much the same. Katara rested and woke only to drink water and eat small portions of soup before falling back into a fitful sleep. Whenever she did rouse, she spoke nonsense and didn’t seem to realize where she was or who was with her.

Zuko continued to angrily bombard Fung for answers whenever he appeared.

* * *

Katara blinked blearily and sat up. She was in a strange room, very plain. There was a small window covered by a thin curtain, which blocked the sun from streaming into her eyes. Still, it seemed unbearably bright. She closed her eyes again and groaned, wishing the light would go away.

“Are you really awake this time?” came a quiet voice on her right.

Startled, her eyes flew open.

“What?” She looked to the voice. It was Zuko, sitting on a small stool next to her bedside, looking like he hadn’t slept in days. He was wearing simple Earth Kingdom attire. “You!”

_Wasn’t that a dream…?_

He gave her a rueful smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah, me.”

“How?” was all she could manage.

“I just happened to find you stumbling out of the desert half-dead almost a week ago.”

“Wha—a week…?” Katara had trouble finding words. She felt leagues better than she could remember feeling since the library—but after collapsing in the desert for what she had been certain was the last time, it was a shock to wake up _not_ dead and in the company of Zuko, of all people.

“There’s a nice old man who nursed you back to health.”

“Why are you here?”

Zuko flinched. “I hung around to make sure you weren’t going to die—I felt like it was the least I could do. But now that you’re awake and feeling better, it’s time for me to be on my way. Goodbye, waterbender.”

He stood up to leave.

“What?! Wait! You aren’t seriously leaving now are you?”

“Yes. I have to meet my uncle in Ba Sing Se. I’m already late.”

Before Katara could say another word, he swept from the room. She sat there speechless for a minute, wondering what in the world had just happened. _That impossible fire prince!_ He’d rescued her from the desert, stayed by her bedside in her delirium, and then thought he could just vanish at the first sign of her coming-to? _What the hell is he playing at?_

Even through her annoyance with Zuko, another part of her was relieved to hear that Iroh had survived his encounter with Azula.

Already feeling her vigor returning, Katara rolled out of bed and made for the exit, bumping bodily into Fung as he came through the doorway.

“Whoa, whoa, where are you going missy?”

“I am going to have a TALK with a certain… boy,” she finished lamely, realizing as she spoke that Zuko was a wanted fugitive and it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to go around telling people he was a firebender.

“No you aren’t.” Fung said kindly. “You need to go back to bed and recover your strength. Come on now.” He tried to steer her back to the bed.

“Thank you for everything, but I have to do this.” Katara brushed past him, ignoring his protests as she went into the main living area of the home.

Zuko was nowhere in sight, so Katara jogged—she couldn’t quite muster a full-on run, yet—to the front door. She could see his back receding in the distance; he was already at the end of the village!

Katara took off after him, puffing by the time she reached close enough to shout. And she was mad. “Hey! Asshole!” 

Zuko turned sharply, eyebrow raising in surprise to see her trotting after him. “Excuse me?” he said mildly.

Katara had to stop to catch her breath. The dry desert air caught in her lungs, making her wheeze. “I… said… hey.”

“Yes, that’s not the part I took issue with.” As Zuko spoke, she was surprised to see amusement, and not anger, flicker across his face.

“You said you’re going to Ba Sing Se, right?”

“Yes,” he said cautiously.

Katara took a deep breath. _Should I really be doing this?_ “Me too. We should… go together.”

Aang and the others clearly would have found her by now if they were in this desert town. That meant they must have moved on, either looking for Appa (she hoped they’d found him already), in which case she had no idea where they would be going; or they’d be off to Ba Sing Se, which was the original plan. They’d know that she would know they were headed there, and might be hoping to reconnect with her in the city. It was a long shot, but it was the only one she had right now. And she certainly didn’t want to stay in this dusty village any longer than she had to. Even if Zuko cared nothing for her—which, considering the way he took off when she woke up, must be the case—traveling with him would be better than traveling alone. Two benders were better than one. She would just have to keep her _impulses_ to herself.

Plus, since she had no idea where his allegiances lay anymore, traveling together would let her keep tabs on him. If he _was_ still an enemy, then at least she’d know exactly what he was up to.

Or, that’s what she told herself.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” he said quietly, not meeting her eyes.

“Well, I think it’s a great idea,” she replied stubbornly. She tried not to feel embarrassed that he was probably uncomfortable around her because she’d basically jumped him the last time they were really alone together. “Come on, I don’t want to go alone.”

He smirked. “Yeah, well. I can see why. Look at the trouble you get into.” He gestured to her, highlighting that she was still standing with her hands on her knees and trying to catch her breath after the short sprint to catch up to him.

She rolled her eyes. “I won’t slow you down. I want to get there as fast as I can, too.”

“Why, is your Avatar boyfriend there or something?”

“He is NOT my boyfriend.” Katara’s cheeks went pink.

“Either way, my answer is no.”

“Then I’ll just go on my own. Today. And I won’t be far behind you! Maybe I’ll even beat you there!” Katara’s frustration was making her feel a bit lightheaded.

“You’d go alone, today, in the state you’re in?”

“Yes,” she said defiantly.

“That wouldn’t be very smart.”

“You’re right. It would be _smarter_ if I had someone to travel with.”

Zuko gave her a searching look, then shrugged. “Hmph. _Fine._ I guess we can go together. Someone has to look after you.”

Katara settled for glaring at him rather than rising to his taunt. She certainly didn’t need anyone to “look after” her.

“But you’ll need supplies. Unless you intend on going like _that_?” He looked at her pointedly.

Suddenly, she realized she’d run down the street in nothing but a thin sleeping shift, which she’d been clothed in while bedridden. Her sarashi wraps were still on underneath, though, so she didn’t feel completely exposed. Still, her cheeks flushed a deeper red.

“I lost all of my supplies in the desert.” She didn’t feel like explaining to him that all of her stuff had been on Appa, who had been taken by sandbenders.

“Come on, let’s go back and get you some. I want to be on the road by this afternoon.”

 _Traveling with Zuko,_ she thought. _Alone with Zuko. I can do this. We just need to get to Ba Sing Se. I can control myself. No problem. Just remember how much of a jerk he is and all the times he threw fire at you._

She noticed Zuko’s golden eyes were still on her, as he studied her with one of his piercing gazes. Her stomach erupted in butterflies.

_Uh oh._


	8. Chapter 8

They set out from the village in the late afternoon—too late according to Zuko, as he grumbled about having to take her with him. Fung had contested that Katara should stay and rest longer, but the obstinate look on her face had overruled him easily. When it was clear that she could not be convinced otherwise, Fung disappeared for a few hours while Zuko and Katara purchased extra food and supplies, including a sleeping bag for Katara. Upon Fung’s return, he presented Katara with a forged Earth Kingdom passport, to match the one he’d already given to Zuko. They would need official documentation to get into Ba Sing Se. Zuko still wasn’t sure how this random old man was able to simply come up with fake passports so easily, but he supposed that Uncle’s contacts were never quite what they appeared to be. Fung saw them off with well wishes.

The plan was to take the long way up to Full Moon Bay, where there was supposed to be a ferry to Ba Sing Se. Going straight through the desert would be the quickest path, but that way wasn’t an option for anyone who wasn’t a sandbender. Instead, they would give the desert a wide berth by going through the more verdant terrain that ringed it, passing by Omashu, then heading north and sticking by the river. It would likely take them several weeks to reach Ba Sing Se on foot, and they couldn’t afford mounts.

As they walked on the first day, Katara tried to make conversation with Zuko but he only gave her short, clipped answers. For someone who had just saved her life, he was acting totally withdrawn. Just like when she was his captive, she could never figure him out. Was he her enemy, or not?

Eventually Katara gave up, focusing instead on keeping up with the brisk pace he set, which wasn’t easy given that she still hadn’t fully recovered from her time in the desert. But she refused to slow down and give Zuko the satisfaction of being right.

It was only when darkness had well and truly fallen that Zuko veered off the road in search of a good campsite for the night.

“I’ll prep dinner, if you want to put up the tent.” Katara said. They were going to have to make do with a single small camping tent, realistically meant for one traveler alone, because it was the only one they’d been able to find for sale in the small desert town.

He scoffed, “Looks to me like you can barely stand. Drink some water.”

“I am fine, thank you very much.”

He rolled his eyes. “You know, for a waterbender, you are really damn stubborn.”

Katara raised her chin proudly. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. But I _will_ need a fire to make the food.”

She thought she saw laughter in his eyes as he lit a small campfire for them.

* * *

After their meal, the exertions of the day caught up with Katara and she felt ready to fall into her sleeping bag. As she approached the small tent, however, she noticed that one set of sleeping gear was set up outside it—and it wasn’t hers.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded.

Zuko was still sitting by the campfire, lost in his thoughts, staring into the flames. “Huh?”

“You can’t sleep outside! The temperature drops too much at night, you’ll freeze.”

“I’ll be fine.” Even in the firelight, Katara could see that his face was set.

“You’re crazy. I’m moving your stuff inside the tent.” She began to drag his sleeping bag toward the tent but didn’t get far before he came up behind her. When he grabbed her wrist, she noticed his grip was firm, but not rough.

A quiver ran through her at his touch.

“Hey!” she said. “I’m trying to stop you from freezing to death.”

“I’m sleeping outside and I’m not changing my mind.” He dropped her wrist and dragged his sleeping bag next to the campfire.

“Why?”

“It—I just am, okay? It doesn’t matter,” he said. “I think it’s time we both got some rest.”

He looked exhausted and Katara remembered thinking that he looked like he hadn’t slept in a while when she had woken up that morning. She was tired of arguing and it was time they both got to sleep. If being cold all night was better than sharing sleeping space with her, then fine.

She crawled into her sleeping bag wondering why he seemed so reluctant to be near her. He was so standoffish, even when she just tried to talk to him. Still, he didn’t seem like he _hated_ her, most of the time. Perhaps he was just ashamed of what had happened between them those months ago, with someone he considered to be a peasant. The thought stung.

* * *

The next morning, Katara woke up first and peeked out of the tent. The sun was still below the horizon, but the first suggestion of morning twilight filtered through the sky.

She looked at Zuko, sleeping next to the ashes of the long-gone campfire. He was curled up into a ball, shivering intermittently. Even though they were still not far from the desert and it would become uncomfortably hot during the day, it was a brisk morning. And it would only have been colder throughout the night.

Katara frowned irritably. _There is no good reason for this! Surely he can’t be so disgusted by me that he can’t bear to set up a sleeping bag next to mine in the tent._ Her resolve hardened and she promised herself that she wouldn’t relent until he gave up this foolishness the next night.

When they got on the road, Zuko retreated back into defensive silence, but Katara was having none of it today. She wasn’t going to make the entire journey to Ba Sing Se with such a grumpy companion. And although it had been a long time, she felt sure that if she could just break through his reticence, they’d be able to get along at least as well as they had when they used to play pai sho. She couldn’t see any reason for it to be otherwise—after all, he’d even been on their side against Azula not so long ago.

As they walked, she asked, “Why did you help me?”

“I…” Zuko cut off whatever he’d been about to say and considered his response. “Well, we’re not enemies anymore, are we? And besides, you all saved me from freezing to death in the North Pole, so you can think of it as repaying a debt.”

“So that’s all it was? Repaying a debt?” Katara looked away, feeling stupid yet again for thinking that maybe she mattered to him, even a little bit.

Zuko grimaced. A muscle in his jaw worked as he grunted a curt, “Yeah.”

“Yeah. Okay.” Katara fell silent, hurt.

She could see Zuko looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

“And… maybe I didn’t want one of the only people I can beat at pai sho to die unceremoniously in the middle of nowhere.”

Katara’s heart rose, but she immediately tried to clamp it down. Just because he said he cared that she didn’t die did _not_ mean there was anything more between them. And she shouldn’t _want_ anything more between them, for that matter. She couldn’t be sure whose side he was on. And even if he wasn’t her enemy, he definitely wasn’t a nice person. She should want someone nice, not this sullen fire prince.

Still, she felt much lighter at his comment.

* * *

When they made camp that night, they had reached the edge of where the plant life began to repopulate the landscape. Clouds gathered overhead and Katara could sense a heaviness in the air that meant rain was coming. _Where was this when I was in the desert?_ she grumbled to herself, annoyed.

She insisted on setting up the tent while directing Zuko to make the meal.

“Okay, I hope you can handle spicy food,” he smirked. “And I’m sleeping next to the fire again tonight. You better make sure you set up my bedroll properly.”

“Yes, your highness.” Katara rolled her eyes and performed a mock bow.

When Zuko became engaged in whatever he was cooking, Katara covertly set up his sleeping bag in the tent. As she crouched inside the tiny shelter, she conceded that there really wasn’t much room after all. Their sleeping bags had to be set up right next to each other, with no room in between.

“Hey!” came Zuko’s voice from the firepit.

Katara braced herself for him to yell at her as she poked her head out of the tent.

“I told you, my sleeping bag goes outside the tent.” Zuko sounded like he was losing his patience—and he never had much of that to begin with.

“I heard you. I just didn’t listen.”

He stalked over to her, leaving the meat roasting on the fire.

“Do it.” He towered over her, clearly trying to be intimidating.

But she wasn’t afraid of him in the slightest. She sighed.

“It’s going to rain tonight. And I saw you last night, you were shivering and freezing. Listen, I—” she paused, uncertain how to phrase what she wanted to say. She wanted to assure him that he didn’t need to be so uncomfortable around her, that she wouldn’t make any unwanted advancements, that she wasn’t even attracted to him anyway (okay, that was a lie). But she felt so humiliated at the thought of bringing it up. She’d gotten the message, loud and clear, that he wasn’t interested in her, despite the chemistry she felt between them. She didn’t want to actually have to put it out there, though. She could only imagine how much more awkward the rest of their journey would be. Not to mention, her wounded pride.

So, she didn’t say any of that. Instead she continued with, “I’m just… I’m not taking no for an answer, okay? I won’t have you cold outside in the rain when there’s no good reason for you not to be in the tent. It. Will. Be. Fine.”

Zuko rubbed his fingers on his forehead, looking concerned.

 _What does he have to be so concerned about?_ she thought testily. _Does he seriously think I have zero self-control?_

“If you’re sure,” he said softly, turning back to tend to the food before it burned.

* * *

Zuko reclined in his bedroll, the waterbender sleeping softly next to him with her back to him. He was shocked that she felt safe enough to fall asleep with him in such close proximity.

He listened to her breathing, wanting so badly to put his arms around her and knowing that he must not, under any circumstances, do so. It was all he could do to keep from tearing off her blankets and seeing how she would respond to his touch. His fingers itched to stroke her smooth skin, run through her hair, tilt her chin up into a kiss. He remembered the way she had felt under his hands.

It wasn’t helping that she slept in only her sarashi wraps, either.

He wrenched himself to face away from her, wracked with guilt and self-reproach.

He had known better than to share the tent with her, known that it would make it that much harder to keep away. But he was disciplined, and he was used to doing difficult things. Nothing ever came easy for him. It didn’t matter. He _would_ get through this.

Eventually, the soft sounds of the rain and Katara’s breathing lulled him into a tense sleep.

* * *

Katara awakened abruptly in the night. It was pitch black in the tent.

Next to her, Zuko tossed and turned fitfully, and cried out in his sleep. That must have been what had woken her.

“ _father, please_ ” he murmured, sounding anguished.

Katara’s heart went out to him. She didn’t know many details about their relationship, but she wasn’t surprised that he’d have nightmares about his father, the Fire Lord. The man who banished him, then made him a fugitive. The man who might have had something to do with his mother’s disappearance. What else had he done to his son?

As her eyes began to adjust to the darkness, she could see Zuko’s outline next to her. He was lying on his back and had thrown off his blankets. His body looked too rigid for someone who was sleeping, all hard lines, as he tried to shield himself from whatever was in his nightmare. Katara wished she could help.

“ _azula always lies. azula always lies._ ” He sounded so lost.

Without thinking, Katara reached her hand toward him in comfort. She placed a gentle palm on his bare chest, whispering, “It’s okay. It’s just a dream.”

Still asleep, Zuko snatched her hand with both of his. He clutched it like he was drowning. His body relaxed by a hair.

Not wanting to pull away when he seemed to need her, Katara inched closer to him so her outstretched arm could be more comfortable. Still holding her hand, Zuko rolled on his side, now facing her in the dark.

Katara’s heartbeat sped up. She hadn’t been this close to him since, well, since the night she escaped from his ship, of course. She watched his face, enthralled as the nightmare seemed to pass and he relaxed. She fought the urge to smooth his forehead with her other hand.

After a few minutes went by, his breathing slowed, and he seemed to be sleeping more peacefully. His grip on her hand loosened.

Katara carefully and slowly began to pull her hand away. As soon as she got it free, however, Zuko groaned in his sleep. With uncanny speed for someone who was sleeping, Zuko’s strong arms encircled her, pulling her against him.

His closeness was intoxicating. Katara knew she should withdraw, but she was enjoying the feeling of his arms around her too much. It was electric. She took a shaky breath to steady herself, but only ended up breathing in his smoky, masculine scent. Her face was against his chest, and she valiantly resisted the impulse to plant lingering kisses along it.

The longer she lay there, the more difficult it became not to set her lips upon him. She had to at least turn around to remove the temptation. Very cautiously so as not to wake him, Katara began to shift in his arms, twisting herself around so her back was to him.

When she got most of the way around, Zuko called out softly, “ _katara_ ”

Katara froze, panicking. She listened. Soon, she could tell by his breathing that he was still asleep. _Why would he say my name in his sleep?_

One of his arms now wound around her bare midsection and dragged her even tighter against him. Her entire back was molded against his body, her rear fitting perfectly—too perfectly—into his lap. He was so incredibly warm, but his breath on her neck still made her shiver. She imagined what it would feel like if he were to wake up and kiss the back of her neck.

Then, he shifted slightly. One of his warm legs slid in between hers until she could feel the heat between her thighs. She stifled a tiny moan.

Great, now she was completely aroused next to the sleeping fire prince who, she reminded herself, would definitely not want anything to do with her in the morning. She wished she could just _take care_ of herself the way she normally would, but that was of course out of the question at the moment. She settled on taking deep breaths and trying to calm her furious pulse.

After some time, she noticed how safe and comfortable she felt lying with him like this. It was just one more thing she would probably never get to experience again, so she tried not to get too attached to it as she finally drifted back to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AND THERE WAS ONLY ONE TENT o.O


	9. Chapter 9

Katara awoke in the morning feeling warm and relaxed. For a moment, she didn’t remember where she was. Sunlight dappled across her face through the thin tent canvas. Still half-asleep, she noted that someone was cuddled up to her, spooning her. Pale, strong arms wrapped around her and one of her legs was in between someone else’s. It felt like this was where she belonged.

With a jolt, she remembered the night before. Zuko’s nightmare. And how they’d ended up like this.

Fully awake now, she noticed too that something very hard was jutting against her back. When she became aware of it, a familiar feeling of molten desire pooled in the base of her stomach. She closed her eyes again, soaking in the feel of his masculine form pressed so intimately against her. She felt a heady rush and, feeling a little sinful, wiggled her body against his erection, just a tiny bit.

Zuko released a slight moan and his arms tightened around her.

Feeling possessed, she wiggled a bit more, slowly.

Zuko sleepily snaked a hand onto her hip and rocked her back into him.

Then, she heard a sharp intake of breath. Before she knew what was happening, she was being roughly shoved away. She turned around in time to catch the look of horror on his face as he recoiled as far toward the side of the tent as he could.

Tears filled her eyes, even as she berated herself. _What did I think was going to happen? He doesn’t want me and here I am rubbing up against him while he’s sleeping._

Zuko took one look at the tears in her eyes and bolted from the tent.

Katara let him go without a word, not sure what she could even say. When he was gone, she curled up and put her face in her hands, silently shaking with tears. She had never known that it could be this painful to want someone so badly when they didn’t want you back. Not only that, but the way he’d jerked away from her, like he couldn’t even bear to touch her. Like he’d been burned.

 _If only Aang and Sokka could see me now._ _They’d think I’d gone insane. Throwing myself at Zuko. Crying over him. Spirits, it’s so pathetic. What is wrong with me? Didn’t I learn my lesson yet? Why does being close to him affect me like this?_

And, if she wanted to make Zuko comfortable enough to relax and open up a little bit around her again then this was definitely not the way to do it.

Eventually, Katara wiped her tears away and sat up. It wouldn’t do to sit around pitying herself all day. They had places to go, after all. If he even wanted to travel with her anymore, after that.

She made herself pull on her traveling clothes and leave the tent. Her eyes were still slightly swollen from crying but there was nothing she could do about that. As she exited the tent, she looked around the campsite, fully expecting to find that Zuko had simply left without her.

Instead, she found him sitting on a rock at the opposite side of the campsite, staring off into the distance. She could only see his back, which was tense and rigid. Just looking at him made her flush with shame. She knew she should apologize, but right now couldn’t bear to talk to him. She quietly packed up the campsite on her own.

They got on the road early, neither of them hungry nor wanting to linger. The sky, still overcast and dreary, cast a pallor over the already strained mood. Zuko wouldn’t even look at her, and he kept an even larger distance than usual between them as they walked.

By late morning, they still hadn’t said a word, each lost in their own tumultuous thoughts. As usual, it was Katara who broke the silence. She couldn’t take the tension any longer and she felt like she needed to at least try to explain, even if it was going to be totally mortifying.

“It was a nightmare,” she said abruptly.

“What?”

“Last night.” She felt like she had to force every word out. “You had a nightmare.”

Zuko just stared at her quizzically. At least now he was actually looking at her… that counted for something, right?

She continued, “That’s why—”

“I’m sorry,” he interrupted her very quietly. “If you want me to leave, I’ll understand.”

“Sorry…” Katara was so confused. _Why would he apologize for having a nightmare? Aren’t I the one who is supposed to be apologizing?_ “Wha—”

“Are you okay?” He wanted to look anywhere else but forced himself to meet her eyes. Eyes which a few hours ago had been overflowing with tears thanks to him.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” This was not what she expected at all when she started this conversation—what was he talking about?

Zuko flinched. It was a stupid question. _Why would she be okay, waking up to being manhandled in her sleep?_ He tried to think of something to say, anything, but everything he could think of felt horribly inadequate.

To Katara, it seemed like everything she was saying was just making it worse. She needed to try to clear things up, “Listen, you don’t have to apologize for having a nightmare. I’m the one who should be apologizing, what I did, I—”

“HELP!” A child’s scream came from over the peak of the next hill.

Zuko and Katara glanced at each other, eyes widening. In unspoken agreement, they dropped everything they were carrying and dashed toward the sound. As he sprinted, Zuko readied his weapons, twin dao broadswords that were slightly curved. Opening her waterskin, Katara hoped she had recovered enough strength by now to handle whatever was going on.

“SOMEONE! HELP!”

A small brown-haired Earth Kingdom boy bolted toward them as they crested the hill. “Thank you, thank you, I didn’t think there was anyone else around, please, you have to help us!”

“Slow down.” Katara said, kneeling to speak to the boy on his own level and putting her hands on his shoulders comfortingly. “What is going on?”

The boy burst into tears. “My family. My mom… a pack of… they’re surrounded, please help, you have to help.”

“A pack of what?” Zuko said, cutting to the chase.

“Saber-tooth moose-lions. They came out of nowhere.”

“Don’t worry, we’re here to help.” Katara said reassuringly. The boy threw himself into her arms, sniffling.

“Where are they?” Zuko said, surveying the landscape around them.

“Over that way.” The boy pointed in the direction he’d come from.

Zuko immediately took off toward the trouble.

Katara hugged the boy again and said, “Can you stay here and wait for us? It will be safer.”

The boy nodded, still crying. “Please help them.”

“We will.” Katara raced after Zuko.

When she got to the bottom of the hill, it didn’t take long to figure out where to go—she could hear angry growls and terrified shouts coming from just beyond a nearby thicket of trees. Touching her waterskin for reassurance, she raced through the bush.

Three saber-tooth moose-lions, absolutely massive beasts that were known for their viciousness when they felt threatened, surrounded an Earth Kingdom family. The mother, a pretty brown-haired woman in her mid-twenties, crouched on the ground, crying and trying to shield a toddler. She looked ready to flee at the first sign of a break in the animals’ encirclement. The toddler bawled and looked through his mother’s arms in terror at the huge creatures that stalked around them.

The father held a sword pointed at the animals—but his arm shook badly as he brandished it, and it was clear he barely knew how to hold it, let alone use it. He pushed his black hair away from his face, sweat gleaming on his brow.

The moose-lions growled menacingly, tilting their heads back and forth as they circled. At any moment, one of them could charge, antlers wreaking destruction on anything in their path.

Katara saw a small cave, not too far away, where five moose-lion cubs were huddled together. No wonder the creatures were so aggressive, it looked like the Earth Kingdom family had inadvertently ventured too near to their den. But that didn’t matter now—what mattered was protecting them.

With Zuko’s arrival, the moose-lions roared and bristled, becoming even more agitated. Zuko stood lightly on the balls of his feet as he assessed them, weapons raised, ready to react if any of them gave the slightest indication of attacking.

“Help us! Please!” the woman shouted.

“We are here to help you!” Katara responded. “Just hang on! No sudden moves.”

Coming up next to Zuko, Katara touched his arm without taking her eyes off the moose-lions and whispered, “Try not to use firebending. If you can.”

Unless the situation became extremely dire, she thought it was best if they didn’t advertise that he was a firebender. Nothing good would come of it.

Zuko nodded in full agreement. He remembered the way the Earth Kingdom villagers had scorned him, even after he’d helped them, the last time he revealed his identity.

“We have to draw them away. Go around this way,” he gestured, “and try to drive them toward me. I think I can get their attention.”

Before Katara had time to respond, Zuko disappeared from her side and was already running toward the beasts. The two closest moose-lions faced him with hostility, pawing at the ground as he approached. Just before reaching them, he veered in a sharp left, putting himself in between the creatures and their young. Facing them, he beat his broadswords together three times. At the loud clash of metal, they lowered their heads and stamped their feet, preparing to charge.

It didn’t seem like Zuko would need her to drive them to him after all. Still, Katara dashed around the other way. As the moose-lions geared up for the charge, she flung water whips at their hindquarters, one after the other in quick succession.

Roaring in outrage, two of the moose-lions launched toward Zuko with abandon. The other turned on Katara, screeching at the sting of her water whip.

Zuko leapt aside as the beasts thundered over the spot where he’d been a split-second before. He was fast, but not quite fast enough, as one of the moose-lions turned its head to catch him with its antlers. He twirled the broadswords in his hands, managing to deflect the antlers just enough to avoid being skewered.

The momentum carried him forward into a roll and he sprang back to his feet as the moose-lions rounded on him again. Now stalking a circle around him, they took turns dashing toward him and trying to knock him over and trample him.

The Blue Spirit wasn’t renowned for his fighting prowess for nothing, though. Zuko moved so fluidly that the creatures caught only air or steel with each lunge. He wielded his weapons like extensions of his body, with remarkable grace and speed, knocking the antlers aside again and again, and landing a few strikes on the moose-lions in between.

The Earth Kingdom family watched with wide eyes.

Meanwhile, Katara confronted the remaining moose-lion. Right before it charged, she sent her water whip across its cheek, then let the water splash over its entire face. It stamped and shook its head in confusion, trying to shake off the water. While it was distracted, Katara hit it again with another water whip, this time on the side of its chest. When she raised the tendril again, the moose-lion backed away, grunting.

Holding the water up as a barrier, Katara motioned to the family with her other hand. “Come on—this way!”

Not needing to be told twice, the mother picked up her toddler and ran toward Katara. However, the father hesitated, torn between running to safety and trying to help Zuko.

Katara’s eyes flickered to Zuko. Obviously he could handle himself, but she wasn’t sure how long he could keep up the dangerous dance. If only he could use his firebending, he’d surely have the creatures running in the other direction within moments. As it was now, all it would take was one wrong move or being just a fraction of a second too slow…

She turned her attention back to the moose-lion near her, now pacing warily on the other side of the water barrier. Any minute now it was going to get fed up and rush at them.

“He’ll be fine! You have to come right now,” she yelled.

“Please!” the woman called to her husband.

Zuko dodged again, this time narrowly avoiding a razor-sharp saber-tooth to the gut.

Katara was losing patience. “Now! I can only help him after I help you.”

The father lowered his sword and ran to join them, looking defeated.

Keeping an eye on the moose-lion behind the water barrier, Katara said, “Your son is up the ridge, that way. He’s safe. Go to him.”

“But—” the father protested.

Katara cut him off. “Go! We can handle this.”

They fled, looking over their shoulders at the strangers who had saved them. Katara didn’t have time to watch them go. She turned the water into a whip once more and flicked the moose-lion again. Disgruntled, the creature turned and ran back toward its den and cubs.

Katara dashed to Zuko and the two moose-lions flanking him. She readied her water. When Zuko saw that the Earth Kingdom family was safely away, he slipped out from between the animals, but as he passed between them, one lurched sideways, knocking him to the ground with its shoulder.

“Zuko!” Katara shouted, flinging her whip at the beast to turn it away before it could trample him. She splashed water into both of the moose-lions’ faces, distracting them while she pulled Zuko up.

“I’m okay,” he said, rising.

The moose-lions growled, keeping their antlers pointed toward Zuko and Katara as they slowly backed away, weapons at the ready. The beasts eyed them indignantly but seemed satisfied as they put more and more distance between themselves and the den.

“I never want to see another moose-lion again! Who knew they could be so quick?” Katara said once she was sure that the moose-lions were not going to pursue them.

Zuko twirled his swords before putting them away. “They’d have to be faster than that to be a match for me. Except, uh, right at the end there. I think you might have just saved me some broken ribs. Or worse. Thank you, Katara. Your bending has improved.”

Katara grinned at the compliment, before catching a glimpse of red along Zuko’s right arm, under his sleeve. “You’re hurt!” She grabbed his sleeve and pushed it up, revealing a long slash along Zuko’s bicep that continued up toward his shoulder.

“It’s nothing.” He yanked his sleeve back over his arm. “Literally just a scratch.”

They reached the ridge where the Earth Kingdom family had fled to. At the top of the hill, they could see all four standing together, looking down at them but afraid to come any closer toward the moose-lion den.

“Did one get you with its tooth? I’ve heard those can fester, you know. You’d better let me heal it.” Katara had that stubborn look on her face that Zuko had seen often enough by now.

“There’s no saying no to you, is there?” he said, the corner of his mouth turning up in a half-smile.

“Exactly.” Katara beamed. “I’m glad we understand each other, then. And anyway, I need to see if that family needs any healing too, so I’ll heal you up at the same time. Come on.”

Katara began to jog up the hill toward the family, missing the fleeting look of admiration that crossed Zuko’s face as he watched her.

For the next hour, Katara healed all of the injuries of the group—luckily, nothing more serious than Zuko’s scratch—and they shared a lunch with the Earth Kingdom family. The two benders were subjected to an unending shower of praise and thanks for saving their lives, with instructions on how to get to the family’s farm and an open invitation to come and stay whenever they wanted. Katara accepted their thanks graciously, trying to tell them that it was only what any good person would have done. Zuko seemed a bit stunned, only giving the family an uncomfortable nod whenever they turned their appreciation on him.

The family was heading in the opposite direction to Katara and Zuko, so once Katara was satisfied that everyone was safe and well, it was time to go their separate ways.

The little boy ferociously hugged Katara, and when he let her go, his mother clasped Katara’s hands and said, “I know I said this already but we really can never repay you two for your kindness.”

“Don’t worry about it, really. We were just happy we could help.”

As Katara spoke to the woman, the little boy rounded on Zuko, and to his great surprise, crashed into his arms for a hug as well. Zuko hugged the boy in return, looking astonished but pleased.

Seeing this, the mother laughed. She leaned closer to Katara and said in a conspiratorial tone, “You know, it looks like your young man will make a great father one day. I wish you both prosperity and happiness... and many children!”

“Wha—no, uh…” Katara blushed furiously and sputtered as the woman embraced her. Over the woman’s shoulder, she gave Zuko a panicked glance to see if he’d heard anything. She sighed in relief. If he had, he wasn’t showing any sign of it. He seemed to be engaged with saying farewell to the father and deflecting yet more words of gratitude.

As Katara and Zuko set out on the road together again, the mood was far lighter than it had been in the morning. Adrenaline and the success of their teamwork eclipsed their other worries and forged a tentative openness between them. Their previous conversation was all but forgotten—at least, for the moment. And Katara always felt invigorated when she could help people in need. She talked happily and easily, and soon her enthusiasm infected Zuko as well.

“You were incredible! I’ve only ever seen you firebend—usually _at_ me,” Katara stopped to give Zuko a mock angry look. “But I didn’t know you were so good with swords too.”

Zuko couldn’t help but smile. “Well, I had the best teachers. And I practiced. A lot.”

“And you were fearless in front of those moose-lions. Getting them to chase you like that! But I guess that shouldn’t surprise me. You _are_ the same guy who keeps going up against the actual Avatar and tried to fight a waterbender during a full moon in the middle of a blizzard.”

“I think you have the real courage. I’ve never seen you back down. Not once.” Zuko gave her a mischievous sideways glance. “Even when you’re horribly outmatched. I should know.”

“Hey! You said it yourself, my bending is way more powerful than it was. I am definitely a match for you now, so you better watch out,” she retorted.

Zuko snorted. “We’ll see about that.”

“Oh, so you are planning on attacking me again?”

“No! But now that you mention it—what do you think about sparring together sometime? If you think you’re up for it.”

“Seriously? You’d want to spar with me?”

“Yeah. It would keep us both in good practice. And there’s another thing—”

“What?”

“I think we could learn from each other.”

“How? You’re a firebender and I’m a waterbender. It’s nothing alike.”

“No… but my uncle taught me a firebending move he invented based on waterbending techniques. I think maybe there’s more we can learn from each other than we think.”

“Wow, your uncle really made up a new firebending movement? What is it?”

“Redirecting lightning.”

“Oh! That sounds amazing. Especially when fighting with Az—I mean…” Katara stumbled.

“It’s okay. You can say her name. And you’re right. It _will_ be useful against my sister.” Zuko’s voice hardened.

They walked in silence for a while.

“We saved that family today, you know,” Katara said, breaking out of her thoughts.

“Yeah. I know.”

“Doesn’t it feel good?”

“What?”

“Helping people.”

“Yeah.”

Zuko thought of all the people he’d encountered in the Earth Kingdom since being branded a Fire Nation traitor. The boy he’d helped, who had rejected him anyway. Others who had helped him, and he’d repaid their kindness with thievery—he’d regretted it later, but what was done was done. Merchants, families, farmers. People just trying to get by.

He had always thought the Fire Nation was spreading prosperity to the rest of the world through its conquest. But now that he’d seen first-hand what the army was doing in the Earth Kingdom, he wasn’t so sure anymore.


	10. Chapter 10

Katara and Zuko walked along a small dirt path through the forest, eating dinner on the go, since they’d already stopped for a long lunch that day.

As the day grew long, a wall of dark clouds billowed overhead, moving fast on the wind and obscuring what little daylight was left. An ominous green hue hung over the air.

“We’d better make camp. Those clouds don’t look friendly,” Katara said. It was getting late, and they’d had a tiring day fighting moose-lions.

However, no sooner had they stopped than they heard a crack of thunder. Then the sky opened up and a torrential downpour drenched them within seconds.

Katara laughed and held out her arms, closing her eyes and turning her face skyward. She soaked in the sensation of the droplets hitting her and running down her skin.

Lightning streaked across the dark sky, too close for comfort. It was followed by a deafening thunder crash.

“Hey! Hey crazy waterbender!” Zuko had to yell to be heard over the deluge.

Another crack of thunder.

Katara looked at him and grinned, giddy with the rush of the storm. She’d only just discovered the joy of rainstorms since leaving her home in the South Pole, mere months ago.

“Hey!” Zuko repeated. “Help me get the tent up.”

Katara shook her head. “I have a better idea. Come on!” She grabbed his arm and pulled him off the path and through the trees.

Before long they came to a steep ridge of grey rock that ran through the forest. Katara led Zuko to a small cave opening.

Zuko ran for shelter, staring at Katara as she continued to stand in the rain for another moment, the wind whipping water around her.

“You _are_ crazy,” he said.

Katara couldn’t help but laugh when she looked at him again. He was completely drenched, with his black hair plastered to his forehead and water dripping from his clothes. He looked miserable.

Taking pity on the soaked fire prince, she stepped inside the cave herself and bent the water from him, leaving him dry.

“Thanks,” he grumbled. “How’d you know this was here?”

Katara bent the water off of herself. “When it’s raining like that… How can I put it? I can just kind of tell what’s around. Like, if there’s a place the rain isn’t hitting or if there’s a group of people in the rain, I can feel it.”

Zuko looked impressed. “Well, I’m glad you can. I doubt the tent would have kept us dry in this.” A gust of wind drove rain through the mouth of the cave, spattering them. Zuko made a face.

“Let’s go deeper in.” Katara giggled.

“Good idea,” he replied dryly.

They could still hear the storm raging outside as they ventured a little further into the cave. Zuko lit a small flame in his hand to give them more light. Just when they had gotten to a spot where the rain couldn’t reach, even when carried by the wind, Katara heard the steady sound of water falling—and it wasn’t the rain outside. She ran ahead, with Zuko trailing.

Katara gasped as she rounded the corner. The cave, which had been only a small tunnel to this point, opened up all around them in a vast expanse. Way above, the entire ceiling was speckled with glowing, glittering blue-green lights, like stars. It was thousands of tiny bioluminescent mushrooms, infusing the whole cavern with a magical, otherworldly feeling.

Across the chamber, they saw a waterfall, twelve feet tall, cascading from an underground river somewhere higher up in the cave. That was the water Katara had heard. Gleaming and shining in the turquoise illumination, it tumbled merrily into a small pool at its base.

They both stood speechless at the beauty of this hidden place they had found. The flame in Zuko’s palm went out.

Eventually Katara stepped into the grotto, making her way to the edge of the pool. She craned her neck to keep looking at the ceiling.

“This is incredible,” she breathed.

Zuko gaped at her, unable to tear his eyes away. He was reminded of the night he brought her to the deck of his ship, and how radiant she had been in the starlight.

He cleared his throat. “Are you sure we should stay here? This looks like a place for the spirits.”

Katara turned to him, her eyes shining. “We don’t have anywhere else to go in the storm. I don’t think the spirits will mind.”

Zuko swung his pack to the floor. He didn’t really want to go back out into the rain, spirits or not. “Okay. Although it seemed like you were pretty at home in the storm. Maybe I should toss you back out into it? Just in case, you know, the spirits.”

Katara thought, _Zuko is making a joke! Just this morning the idea of him joking around with me again seemed impossible._ She was delighted to see his more playful side surfacing again.

“Toss _me_ back into the storm, will you?” she said menacingly. She bent a stream of water from the pool and splashed Zuko lightly across the face with it, soaking him all over again.

“Hey!” he yelled. With the same fluid movements he’d displayed when outmaneuvering the moose-lions, he was behind Katara in an instant. He pushed her into the pool.

She fell into the cool water with a splash, taken entirely by surprise. The pool was shallow enough that she could stand, but the water came to her shoulders. Her clothing hung on her, heavy with water.

“Ohhh, fire boy, you made a mistake!” Laughing, she bent a huge wave from the pool and pulled Zuko in after her.

Once the wave fell away and Zuko’s head came free of the water, he burst into laughter.

Katara looked at him in shock for a moment. She’d never heard him laugh before—not so naturally and spontaneously. The sound was joyful and untroubled; it filled her with delight. She laughed even harder herself, until tears streamed from her eyes.

“Now what are you going to do, waterbender?” He rounded on her, sending a large splash her way with his hands.

“Please. You’re surrounded by _my_ element, or did you already forget?” She bent a small wave toward him, rocking the entire pool slightly. “Do you yield?”

Still chuckling, Zuko said, “I never yield.”

 _That_ was only too true. Katara rolled her eyes, grinning. “You know, I think this is the perfect place for a swim.”

She took down her hair, releasing it in cascading waves around her shoulders. Then she made her way to the side of the pool and peeled off her clothing, leaving only her sarashi wraps, which she typically liked to swim in. The water made the scant fabric cling to her body.

Zuko backed away. “Wha—what are you doing?”

“I told you, swimming! Don’t tell me you don’t know how.”

“Of course I know how.” He crossed his arms. “The Fire Nation is a land of beautiful beaches, you know.”

“Well then, come on!” Katara swam over to him. “It’ll be fun. Remember _fun_? That thing I taught you about?”

She looked at Zuko so hopefully, and he felt much freer than he had in ages. He couldn’t recall the last time he’d laughed like that. Somehow this waterbender always seemed to make him feel so alive, and—almost—happy.

But, he reminded himself, he needed to be very careful and maintain his self-control. Even if she made him feel like he could relax, he couldn’t. Especially not when she was glistening in the water and wearing almost nothing. He loved the way she seemed so lighthearted with him tonight—he wasn’t going to ruin it with his unwelcome desires.

Still, he couldn’t resist her. “Finnnne,” he grumbled, but Katara could tell he was pleased.

He swam to the side and removed his shirt, piling it with hers. Katara tried very hard not to stare at his lean, muscular chest. Or at least, not when he was looking in her direction.

Zuko did his best to act like he was just swimming around aimlessly, while keeping as much distance between them as possible.

After they’d swam for a bit, Zuko said, “It’s a bit chilly, don’t you think?”

“Mmm? Yeah, a bit,” Katara agreed absently. She was floating in the pool and admiring the ceiling.

“What do you think about a little more heat?” Zuko tilted his head and smiled. He remembered how much she’d enjoyed the hot shower.

Katara stood up in the water. “Ohh. I didn’t even think of that! That sounds amazing.”

Zuko nodded and concentrated, firebending just enough to heat up the pool without going too far and scalding them. It was—as he’d been practicing since setting off with her in the first place—all about restraint.

The water warmed up pleasantly around them. Katara gave a blissful sigh and sank further into the pool, closing her eyes. Steam rose in the air.

“That’s more like it.” Zuko smiled, watching Katara enjoy the results of his efforts.

She could feel the hot water surrounding her and soothing her muscles, which were sore from walking so much after only just recovering from her stint in the desert. When she opened her eyes again, she saw Zuko had sunk down into the water and closed his eyes, too. She looked at him for a long time, taking in the lines of his jaw and cheekbones, the smooth curve of his lips, the strands of his black hair that were starting to grow long. She daydreamed about what it would feel like to run her fingers through it.

Before long, the warm water made Katara start to feel sleepy. She realized they hadn’t even put out their sleeping bags or anything—all they’d done was dump their packs on the ground, forgotten as they admired the grotto.

Zuko was still floating serenely with his eyes closed. Quietly, Katara slipped out of the pool and bent their clothing dry. She pulled her dress back on, not bothering with her leggings since she’d be going to bed soon anyway, and put out a dry pair of pants for Zuko. Then she set about laying out the sleeping bags on the other side of the cavern. She hesitated, unable to decide where to put them—should she set them up right next to each other? It was bound to get cold in the cave overnight, especially with that storm going on outside, and it would probably be better to sleep close together for warmth. But, after last night, she was sure that sleeping beside her was the last thing Zuko would be interested in doing. She realized with a start that she never actually finished explaining to him that he’d had a nightmare and that was why he’d woken up entangled with her.

Pursing her lips, she laid the sleeping bags next to each other. She’d just have to explain herself to Zuko. Surely he’d agree that being near her wasn’t as bad as freezing all night. Maybe.

She was bending water off their supplies and the tent so nothing would get damaged, when she heard movement behind her. Zuko had emerged from the steam of the pool and was putting his dry clothes on.

When he walked over and saw the sleeping bags, Katara was prepared for an angry outburst.

But that wasn’t what she got. Zuko’s brow creased and he glanced at her with a searching look. He sat on a nearby flat outcropping of rock and stared at the blankets for what felt to Katara like a very long time.

Katara opened her mouth to start explaining, when he said, almost so quietly she didn’t hear, “What are you doing? You should be afraid of me.”

She turned to face him, hands on her hips, still ready for the argument that didn’t seem to be coming. “Well, I’m not afraid of you. I would have thought that was pretty clear by now.”

“How can you say that? Don’t you know I’m dangerous for you to be around?!” he spat, suddenly full of self-loathing.

Katara was puzzled. _What is he getting at? Why the sudden change of mood? He looks so tortured. If he were Sokka or Aang and looking like that, I’d just give him a hug._

But of course, she wasn’t exactly on hugging terms with Zuko. Instead, she approached slowly and sat beside him on the ledge.

She said gently, “I know you’re dangerous, Zuko. No one who saw you fight could think otherwise. But, I don’t feel like you’re a danger to me. Not right now. And honestly, I haven’t really been afraid of you since the first few nights on your ship.”

“My ship… How can you be okay being alone with me after what I did to you? What I still want to do to you—” Zuko bit off his words with a frustrated growl.

Katara’s heart raced. “What _you_ did to _me_? Are you talking about—the night I left?”

Zuko stared at the ground, hating himself more with every moment that passed. He twisted away from her, full of guilty anger and shame. But he owed her an apology, at the very least.

“I’m so sorry, Katara. I… lost control, that night. You were my prisoner, you had no choice, and I… I forced you…”

Tears filled his eyes. He braced himself, waiting for the scorn and disgust that would surely come now.

Katara was blindsided. A thousand emotions clattered together at once, making it almost impossible to think. She felt at once elated and hopeful, for the first time in months, that maybe he actually did want her after all. Then, she was horrified at the realization that he’d somehow convinced himself that he’d forced himself on her. The guilt he must have felt. _Oh, Zuko._ She had no doubt in her mind that if she’d objected or shown any sign of pushing him away, he would have stopped.

All of his confusing behavior suddenly made sense. But he _did_ want her. _He wanted her._ And she ached for him, despite her best efforts otherwise.

Katara sidled closer. When Zuko tried to pull away again, she softly cupped his face and made him look at her. Tears spilled down his cheeks. His tormented expression made her heart wrench.

“All this time. That’s what you’ve been thinking?” she said.

“Didn’t I?” he said, his voice rough.

“No. I seem to remember kissing you first.”

He looked at her, dumbfounded. “I—I don’t remember. I just remember… wanting you so badly. Shoving you. Almost…. Just to satisfy my own—” he broke off and closed his eyes in a grimace, unable to continue.

“Zuko.” She remembered that night all too well, having relived it in her dreams countless times since. _She’d_ been the one who hadn’t been able to help herself, kissing him recklessly, pulling him as close against her as was humanly possible and still feeling like it wasn’t enough. “You don’t remember it right.”

Feeling brave, she leaned forward and kissed him, light and soft. He kissed her back instinctually for a moment before pulling away.

“Don’t. You need to be careful around me. I’ll lose my self-restraint again.”

“Maybe I want to see what you’re like when you’re not restraining yourself.”

Katara felt as though she could see a flame in the depths of his golden eyes as he looked at her now. He clenched his hand by his side.

“You have to be sure, Katara. The way I feel… if you let me put my hands on you… I want you so much. I’ll consume you.”

Arousal shot through Katara like a lightning-bolt at his words. He felt it too, whatever that charged energy between them was. Even now, it thrashed within her like a wild thing.

Breathlessly, she said, “Touch me, please Zuko.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I know, I'm terrible for ending the chapter there! Maybe I'll be nice and get the next chapter up a day early ;)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the (first) SMUT CHAPTER!

The request knocked the air from Zuko’s lungs and a small involuntary sound escaped his lips. In a heartbeat, his hands were on her face and he pressed his lips against hers. His kiss was soft, tentative, as though he still couldn’t quite believe that she wanted this.

Katara trembled and melted into the achingly gentle kiss. His hands carefully held her face. It was at once too much and not enough.

She smiled into his mouth and pulled back just a tiny bit. “You’re not going to break me,” she whispered.

He looked at her with irresistible magnetism, and something more, a craving tempered by concern and the guilt he’d lived with for the past months.

She couldn’t stand it any longer. She wanted him with a fire that seared her and would not be quenched. Her mouth found his again and her hands wove into his jet-black hair. She poured all of her desire into the kiss, pressing their lips together urgently, crushingly.

Zuko released a husky groan and then, like kindling going up in flame, he was kissing her back with the same desperate fervor. She felt one of his hands tangle in her hair, fingers digging in as he pulled her deeper and deeper into the kiss.

As he kissed her with such raw need, she felt weak with the idea that he had been constantly hot, constantly wanting her this whole time.

The kiss became messy, Zuko’s tongue questing to explore her mouth. His other hand found her hip and she felt his grip tighten like he would never let go. And she didn’t want him to.

Like the first time they had kissed, Katara felt as though she could barely withstand how her body reacted to his touch; a tidal wave of need surged through her, washing away everything but here and now, and an overpowering hunger. She felt dizzy with the rush of it.

She leaned into him as they kissed on the rock ledge, pressing herself to his chest, feeling like she still wasn’t close enough. His arms wound around her possessively. He sucked on her bottom lip.

Katara wanted to feel more of him and she wanted it now. Without breaking their kiss, she scrambled into his lap, her legs straddling him as she pushed her entire body against the length of his.

Zuko felt awestruck by the beautiful waterbender, astonished she was actually in his lap right now. It was clear now that—somehow—she wanted him with the same ardent fury that he felt for her. How stupid he had been all this time! He ran his hands along her curves, savoring the feel of her just like he had fantasized about. He wanted to touch all of her, all at once.

Pushing against him, she kissed him fervently as his hands roamed her body. The feel of his hands, touching her, _finally_ touching her, made her wish their clothes weren’t in the way so she could feel the heat of him directly on her skin. When his thumb grazed her breast, she felt another flash of arousal. Through the layers of his pants and her sarashi wraps, she could feel that his cock was already stiff between her thighs.

Eventually, she tore her lips away and began planting nipping kisses along his jaw up to his ear, her fingers lightly tracing over his scar. Zuko moaned and tilted his head back, giving her full access to kiss him however she wanted. She moved her kisses down his neck, then sucked on the skin by his collarbone.

Her voice deep with lust, she said, “You have no idea how much I’ve thought about this.”

Zuko’s eyes met hers, alight with desire. “You have no idea how hard it was to control myself every time you were around. Especially when I woke up this morning, with you… But now that I think about it, you weren’t sleeping, were you? You were doing that on purpose. Do you enjoy tormenting me?”

Katara laughed mischievously, “What, like this?” She rocked her hips back and forth in his lap, grinding against his extremely hard erection.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, waterbender. There’s no one to save you this time,” he growled, grabbing her hips and rocking her faster. Then, unable to bear the layers of clothing between them any longer, Zuko pulled off her dress in one swift motion. She hurried to take her boots off, letting them fall to the ground.

She was now in only her sarashi wraps, with Zuko’s hot lips trailing down her chest. His hands left her hips to caress her bare skin, everywhere he could touch it, her shoulders, her taut stomach, her thighs.

Katara’s breath grew heavier. “Good. I can’t wait to find out what you’ve been wanting to do to me this whole time. And I have a few ideas of my own...”

She tore off his shirt to reveal his muscular chest. Her fingers moved, seemingly on their own, to trace over his corded muscles and feel the heat of his torso.

Zuko took her mouth again, tasting, probing. The sensations swirled together, lips against lips, hands against bare skin, the torturously delicious friction of rubbing together, the sheer exhilarating delight of being in Zuko’s lap.

Now his hands were tugging at the sarashi wraps around her breasts. She helped him, wiggling free of the garment. The cool air of the cave made her nipples harden. His hands hurried to her full, round breasts, cupping and gently squeezing. She arched her back to encourage him and suddenly his impossibly hot mouth was on her, his tongue tracing circles around her nipple, flicking lightly, teasing.

“Ahhh,” she panted as his tongue moved faster and faster. She grasped weakly at his head, succeeding only in a shaky caress of her fingers through his hair. A dangerous build-up of tension arose in her lower stomach. “You’re so… ahh… amazing.”

He only grinned and moved his attentions to her other breast. Katara closed her eyes, enjoying the remarkable sensations. It was really happening, she was here, alone with Zuko, him needing her, filling her with sweet fire, and there was nothing to interrupt them this time. She didn’t think she’d be able to go without this feeling ever again; it was addicting, intoxicating, undeniable.

“I need… more,” she managed, electricity pulsing through her veins. She ground against him harder, and captured his lips as he lifted his face from her breast. With unbridled passion, she bit his lip and delved her tongue into his mouth, needing to taste him.

Zuko was truly lost now, swept away by the all-encompassing intensity of her, the unbelievable pleasure of having her all to himself, his desires accepted and even reciprocated. The need to have her, to possess her fully and completely, built under his skin until he was trembling with the ferocity of it. 

In one swift movement, Zuko lifted her and Katara found herself deftly flipped onto her back, laying on the blankets with the powerful firebender on top of her. A wicked glint in his eye made her swallow as she went willingly, pliant and eager under his touch.

“I’m going to make you feel _so good_ , waterbender,” he rumbled.

Now it was Zuko who rocked his hips and created excruciatingly intimate friction between her legs. She clutched at him and pulled him closer, dragging her lips along his body, leaving wet kisses everywhere she could reach.

She stroked his arms and his broad back, the back of his neck, his hair, hungering for him, shuddering under him. Zuko crushed his lips to hers, harder than before, until her lips stung from the force.

She scrabbled at his pants, desperate now. How many nights had she longed for him?

Zuko pulled away to help remove the clothing, Katara emitting a ragged little whine at the loss of contact. He kicked off his boots, but paused with his thumb in the waistband of his pants.

“Have you…” Zuko began, surprised at the sound of his own voice, so hoarse and husky. “Have you done this before?” He didn’t want to hurt her.

Katara flushed red and nodded. Zuko felt a flame of jealousy but he pushed it away—nothing before this mattered; what mattered was now. And she was his right now.

Katara caught the look in his eye and said, “But it was never like this. Nothing compares to this. To _you_. Fuck, Zuko, I’ve never wanted anyone like this before. You… do something to me. I need you. I can’t explain it, but I need you.”

Her words inflamed him even more as he looked down at her underneath him. Her rich black hair, tousled in the blankets, framing her face. The swell of her breasts as she breathed heavily. Her clear blue eyes, dilated, deep and soft, full of trust. Such an unbelievably breathtaking woman, wanting him, driving him wild.

Overcome with the sight, he gulped. “Oh, _Katara_.”

“What?” She felt like he was caressing her with just his eyes. It made her heart flutter erratically.

“You’re incredible. Can I just… look at you, for a minute?”

Swallowing nervously, she nodded. She had never felt more attractive than in this moment, seeing the lustful, admiring look in his eyes as he swept them over her nearly naked body, seeming to drink her in.

When he finally dipped to kiss her again, sweeter and softer this time, she felt his hand trembling as it slid along her jaw. He made a small noise, so full of longing that at first she thought it must have been her who made the sound. When she realized it wasn’t her, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him deeper into the kiss with a burning need that drove all other thoughts away. Soon, his hand found her breast, making her moan into his mouth. As they kissed, she got ahold of his waistband and tugged at his pants again.

“You’re beautiful. Spirits, so fucking beautiful. I want you, Katara, now,” he said, helping her push down his pants.

She inhaled at the sight of him, now fully naked in the turquoise glow of the cave, all wiry muscle and strength. Her eyes followed the lean lines of his hips to his large swollen cock, and something inside of her thrummed at the sight of it.

He ripped her sarashi wraps away, and she helped him as quickly as she could. She couldn’t explain the pulsing, feverish effect he was having on her, she only knew that she needed to feel his body against hers, she needed him to fill the ache that was building inside her and she needed it now or she would surely go mad.

Poised above her, desperate to plunge, Zuko hesitated again.

“You’re sure?”

Katara moaned with impatience and tilted her hips toward him.

Zuko backed away, just a fraction. He cupped her cheek and ran his thumb along her lip, causing tremors to run through her.

He breathed out, “Katara. I’ve wanted you so much. For so long. But I never thought you could feel the same. I thought you hated me. I never dreamed, never dared to hope that I would have you like this. I need you to say it. I—I need to know that you’re sure.”

“Yes, yes, I’m sure, I’ve never been more sure about anything, _please_ Zuko, I want you. Right now, please, now,” she babbled, delirious with need. She raised her hips again, offering herself up for him to take and wanting to take him in return. She waited, beyond thinking, only anticipating now.

Zuko made a sound low in his throat that was half-animal. Suddenly his body was against hers again, and one of his hands clasped her hand beside her head, pressing it down, their fingers interlacing. She wound her other hand to the base of his back, pulling him, urging him on. His throbbing shaft probed, and, finding her wet and ready, finally sank into her depths.

Katara released a sinful moan as he filled her, a wanton sound that Zuko was afraid would drive him over the edge right that second—and he wasn’t ready for it to end yet. Her eyes closed as she moved on a wave of sensations, hardly aware of anything except the unbelievable heat of his cock inside of her, stroking the deep places that throbbed so insistently, sending hot pulses of feeling through her.

He was gentler than she’d expected, pushing in and out of her maddeningly slowly. She wrapped her legs around him, thrusting against him and imploring him to go faster.

Zuko savored every second as he buried himself in her again and again, her warm, wet depths enveloping him deliciously with every movement.

“You feel just as good as I thought you would,” he murmured in between thrusts.

“You… feel even better,” she panted.

Just when Katara thought she could take no more without bursting, Zuko slid a hand between them, finding her clit. She jumped and her eyes widened as another jolt of pleasure washed over her. He grinned at her roguishly and bent to plant hot, wet, luxuriating kisses down the sensitive skin of her neck as he slid his fingers up and down, faster and faster in time with his thrusts.

“Fuuuuuck, Zuko,” she gasped in amazement.

She writhed under him, her abdomen clenching and filling with an excruciating tension that begged for release. It was like nothing she’d ever experienced, her body feeling better than she’d imagined it capable of.

“Tell me how it feels,” he whispered in her ear, watching her lose herself under his attentions. He shook with the effort of holding himself back from release.

The tension was reaching its peak. “I feel like… I’m on fire, like it's building, burning me up from the inside, but it's so good... I need you, it’s so much, Zuko, it’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever felt, but I need… I need…” She trailed off, words failing her completely as she strained against him, out of breath.

Katara felt his lips overtake her mouth as he thrusted into her harder now, his fingers moving still faster. The tight walls of her passage pulsed around his cock and Zuko was certain he wouldn’t be able to keep himself from coming any longer when suddenly she bucked wildly.

His name broke from her lips in a scream.

The tension building within her burst free, sending waves of intense pleasure coursing through her entire body. She was filled with heat, finally having an outlet and release for the raging desire she felt, but she felt like she could do this forever and it still wouldn’t be enough. Then she felt sunbursts in her brain, blocking out all coherent thought—everything that ever was and ever would be was right now, Zuko’s body and hers locked together in this eternal instant.

Zuko surged into her with abandon, drawing cries of ecstasy from her with every thrust. Her nails dug into his back as she held onto him like a lifeline. It was more than he could bear, his own need overtaking him as her orgasm convulsed around his cock. His breathing grew rough, his expression fierce. He moaned her name and clutched her to him, coming with more intensity than he’d thought possible.

Together they moved, pleasure surging through them again and again.

Until, finally, they collapsed together, exhausted and spent.

Zuko’s body rested on Katara’s, his cock still inside her, and she thought she had never felt more whole. For a long moment, the only sound was their breathing in tandem as it slowed. They had given themselves to each other fully and neither wanted to move, afraid breaking apart would break the spell that had come over them, too.

After a time, Katara, dreamily content and almost asleep, dimly felt him move off of her. Her body immediately missed the weight, but then she felt strong arms wrap around her, pulling her close and encasing her in warmth. The last thing she knew before drifting into a sleep of oblivion was the feeling of being cared for and safe, as the storm raged on outside the cave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to the amazing Avendell for the beautiful artwork for this chapter!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU for all the lovely comments on the last chapter. I worked really hard on it and it was so wonderful to hear how much you liked it :)

A hint of sunlight trickled into the cave with the dawn, waking Zuko, as it usually did. Blinking awake, he immediately sensed the sleeping waterbender in his arms, snuggled up against him. His first instinct was to pull away, to remove his unwanted touch from her—but then memories of the night came vividly flooding back. Somehow, against all odds, she _did_ want his touch. Or at least, she did last night. In the light of morning, would she still feel the same way?

Zuko tightened his hold on her. If this might be all he would get, then he would bloody well enjoy it. He watched her tenderly as her breath came slowly in and out, thinking that he’d never seen anything so magnificent in his life, not even the most dazzling sunset on the most beautiful Fire Nation beach. Her face was relaxed and peaceful, her hair messily tousled from their excursions the night before. Her naked body fit into his like it was meant to be there. He wished they could stay like this forever. It was enough to make him want to forget all about his honor, his father, the Fire Nation, everything—if only he could.

* * *

Katara awoke to the pleasantly soothing sound of the waterfall. She felt warm and coddled and pleasantly sore. With a flash of recognition, she knew the warmth lying with her was Zuko. She kept her eyes closed, soaking in the closeness.

_That was the most incredible sex of my life. With Zuko. Zuko! Whose side is he even on now? Worse, do I even care at this point? Of course I do. Of course. But… even if he were still trying to capture Aang, I’m not sure I could say no to him, not after that. Even now, all I want is to roll over and see if he might be ready for another round. I bet he is._

_I think I might be in trouble..._

She cracked one eye open to see if Zuko was awake yet, and caught the fondest look that she’d ever seen before, from anyone. Noticing her awake, he quickly schooled his face into something less adoring, although contentment still permeated his features.

She tried to quell her thrilled smile and turned to face him, sliding her body against his as she did so.

“Uh. Hi.” Zuko said awkwardly.

“Hi yourself.”

Zuko’s hand slid tentatively to her lower back. “How are you. This morning? In general. How are you?”

Katara snorted with laughter. Where did the haughty fire prince go? 

“I’m good. Really good. Maybe too good.” She paused. “And a little confused.”

Zuko’s hand left her back immediately and his face fell.

“Do you regret it?” he asked softly. He looked so vulnerable and sad.

Katara cupped his cheeks in her hands. “Not for a second.” She kissed him lightly, slinking closer. His body felt warm and firm, and she molded herself against it. When she pulled back, he couldn’t contain a lopsided, dazed smile.

“But you’re confused?” he pressed.

“Well, yeah. Can you blame me? You hunt my friends, you shoot fireballs at me, then you help us fight your own sister, and then you save my life in the desert, and now…. But, when I’m with you, like this, it’s the only thing I can think about, the only thing I want.” She blushed furiously, yet was unable to stop her hands from beginning to stoke his chest and back. “And all that other stuff kind of stops mattering. But it _should_ matter, shouldn’t it? I don’t even know whose side you’re on.”

Her thoughts spun on after she stopped talking, _Pick my side, I don’t think I can go without this now, we’ll find a way to explain it to the others, I want to hear you laugh again, I want you to smile at me, your smile lights up your face, it lights up my heart, I need you to kiss me and never stop._

“Whose side I’m on…” Zuko echoed, looking away even as his body began to respond to her closeness. “I’m not on anyone’s side anymore. My uncle’s, maybe. No one is on my side. I’m just a disgraced fugitive now.”

“I can be on your side,” she replied gently.

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” Zuko scowled. “Besides, you deserve more than an honorless, outcast, penniless failure.”

“ _I’ll_ decide what I deserve,” she said, her temper flaring. Then, seeing the pained expression on his face, she softened. “And that’s not how I see you. That’s not what you are.”

Zuko grimaced. “And what do your friends think? The Avatar? I’ve seen the way he looks at you. What would your friends think if they could see us right now?”

“Wait…” Katara stopped tracing his skin with her fingertips and retreated slightly. “Do _you_ regret it?” She’d been so caught up in her own feelings, misgivings, and desires that she hadn’t even thought about what _he_ might be thinking.

Zuko chuckled bitterly and covered his face with his hands. “Spirits, I’m making a mess of this. Let me show you how much I _don’t_ regret it.”

With that, he encircled her with his arms again and kissed her slowly. Deeply, like he was cherishing every second. Katara melted into him instantly—never before had she felt so _enjoyed_.

When he finally pulled away, his face shone with affection and something more primal. “Does that answer your question?”

Katara snuggled her head against his chest, sighing contentedly. “This is complicated, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.” He held her tighter.

Minutes passed. As he held her, Katara felt so at home and her heart squeezed at the thought that it might be fleeting. His hands traced lightly over her skin, skimming her curves. Her body instinctively arched into his touch. Like before, it seemed as though his fingers left little trails of fire across her skin, igniting her with desire as they went. Apparently even last night had not been enough to satiate her; hot lust pooled in her stomach and she forced herself to lay still so she could relish the sensations of his hands exploring her.

Her voice was husky when she broke the silence, “Well, let’s not worry about any of that until we have to. Right now, it’s just you and me. And I seem to remember a certain firebender threatening me last night about all kinds of indecent things he wanted to do to me…”

Zuko smirked wickedly. “That’s right,” he said, yanking her roughly against him and pulling her leg up around his hip. She could feel his cock nudging insistently against her inner thigh, already swollen and seeking. His mouth captured hers as his hands moved more purposefully now, taking hold of her buttocks and tugging her closer still.

As she kissed him, the world receded until all she knew was his arms holding her, his mouth on her mouth, his body against hers, and a building, dizzying, demanding need.

She pushed him onto his back and rolled herself on top of him, straddling him on the blankets and rocking her hips to create delicious friction.

Breaking away from the kiss, she whispered in his ear, causing shivers to run through his body. “I want you now.”

Zuko guided his cock to her opening but found that, although she was becoming wet and slick already, she was still too tight. Katara growled in annoyance.

“Impatient, aren’t you?” he said with a hint of teasing in his voice.

“Yes.” She kissed him deeply, then took his cock in her hand and rubbed it playfully. “And so are you, I think.”

“How could I not be, waking up to you, waterbender? All it takes is looking at you. But don’t worry, I’ll get you ready.”

A quiver washed over Katara at his words.

Then she found herself being hauled forward as Zuko slid down, bringing his mouth to the juncture of her thighs. When his tongue flicked out, slowly tasting her, she felt her limbs go weak. It became increasingly difficult to hold herself up, but she didn’t dare move, either. He licked up and down with agonizing, deliberate motions, until she couldn’t hear her own sounds as she lost herself in the flood of exquisite sensations coursing through her.

He began to gradually increase the speed and Katara shook with the effort to not buck her hips. When the tension climbed, inching closer to the peak, she pulled away, breathing heavily.

“I need to feel you inside me,” she panted, sliding her body back down so her thighs wrapped around his hips.

Zuko moaned; the shaft of his cock, almost painfully hard, glided against her slit, which was now sopping wet as a result of his efforts. It nearly drove him into a frenzy, just knowing he was responsible for her arousal.

Katara craved the feeling of him. She lowered herself onto his throbbing length, crying out as it filled her, hitting deep places that yearned to be reached. As she drew him in, slowly at first, his hands roamed all over her, following the curve of her back, the dip of her waist, and settling on her firm, round breasts.

Zuko looked up at her and gloried in the sight. Her eyes were half-closed, her mouth open and her face awash with pleasure. Her skin was smooth and flawless. She leaned back as she rode him, and her shapely breasts jutted forward. He watched his own shaft move in and out of her, burying deeper inside with every thrust, feeling the hot, slick, throbbing walls of her passage enfolding him completely.

How could anyone be this beautiful? How could anything feel this incredible? He loved the way she responded to him. The noises she made. The way she tasted. How it felt when he was inside her. He’d never wanted anyone the way he wanted her.

“Fuck, Katara, do you have any idea how amazing you are?” he rasped.

Katara came down again to meet him as he thrust inward, angling herself so his cock hit just the right spot to feed the mounting pressure she felt inside. Zuko, giving in to the force of his passion, seized her hips with a powerful urgency, guiding her faster and faster.

Now it was her turn to admire him, his broad shoulders, corded arms, and muscular chest straining, every nerve and muscle taut with the buildup of tension and with the need of her. The expression on his face was intense, his golden eyes dark and luminous with desire. She longed to run her tongue along his body, but the pressure was reaching a point where changing the rhythm was unthinkable. Sweat glistened on their bodies as they matched their timing, thrust for thrust.

Katara released an almost strangled moan and then a bolt of molten pleasure engulfed her. She was conscious only of the overwhelming sensation of being filled with him as she began to climax in long wracking spasms. A staggering crescendo washed over them, a shuddering eruption, the hot flood of his release joining the pulsating surges of her own.

When it was over, she lowered herself onto him, trembling.

Zuko wrapped his arms around her and stoked her hair. When he finally got his breath back, he repeated, “Just, amazing.”

Katara propped her chin on his chest and looked at him, unable to wipe the wide grin off her face. When their eyes met and his face lit up in an equally dumbstruck smile, Katara felt her heart swell.

She said, “I can’t seem to stop wanting you. You make me…well, _burn_.” She arched her eyebrow. “Is this some kind of firebender specialty or something?”

Zuko chuckled deep in his throat and brought her hand to his lips so he could kiss her palm. “If it is, I’m going to have to figure out how to harness it so I can keep using it on you.” 

“Mmm. I don’t think I would mind that.”

“Good,” he said, smiling. He looked into her bright blue eyes and felt lost in their depths.

“I could get used to seeing you smile,” she said softly.

Unable to help it, Zuko’s smile grew at her words. “It _is_ a pretty rare occurrence. Enjoy it while you can, waterbender.” He tried to look stern but couldn’t quite wipe the grin off his face.

“So I take it I can expect a return of grumpy Zuko when we get on the road today, then?” she teased.

“Definitely.”

“Well it’s a good thing I know how to cheer you up now.” She nuzzled playfully at his chest. “I don’t want a grumpy traveling companion the whole way to Ba Sing Se.”

“Oh, I’m going to be very, very grumpy. I’ll need a lot of cheering up.” He squeezed her buttocks as she laughed.

Still laughing, Katara rolled off of him and sat up. She took a deep breath, the fresh smell of the running waterfall invigorating her.

She sighed, “I guess we’d better start getting going, shouldn’t we?” She was loath to leave their mingled sleeping bags and the naked firebender beside her.

 _It would be so wonderful to just stay in this enchanting cave together and forget the world… but_ _we can’t. My friends must be so worried about me, and I can’t just turn my back on the war, and everything going on. People need help._

“Yeah, I guess so,” Zuko said, looking a little sad.

“Uh oh, looks like you need cheering up already,” Katara said, grabbing his hand and placing it on her breast.

Taken by surprise, Zuko snorted with laughter, then blushed. 

“Yep. I knew it. Works wonders,” she giggled, endlessly amused that he was still blushing, after the night (and morning) they’d had. “Now, how about you join me for a bath?”

* * *

Zuko was heating up water for tea as Katara finished up in the pool. They normally started their day without tea, but for some reason Katara had insisted on it this morning. He didn’t mind at all, happy to linger in the cave for as long as she wanted. He felt so relaxed, and lighter than he had since… well, since before he could remember, he supposed. As he boiled the water and prepared breakfast, he couldn’t help but watch her in the pool, a soft, secret smile playing across his lips.

She got out the pool and dressed, walking over as he poured the tea.

“Just like old times,” she grinned, taking the offered tea.

Zuko smiled into his cup. “I think you had more fun than any prisoner has a right to.”

Katara took some extra tea leaves out of her pack, sprinkling them into her cup. “Pshh, I don’t know about that. I did have to put up with the company of a very cranky fire prince.”

“I wasn’t _cranky_. And I was pretty nice to you, all things considered. What are you putting into your tea?”

“Hmm.” Katara pretended to think while swishing her tea in its cup. “ _All things considered_ being that you held me against my will, tried to interrogate me so you could hunt down my friends, and used me as bait? Is that the ‘being nice’ you’re referring to?” She smiled sweetly at him. “Oh, this is thistleroot tea. It’s, um, just something I picked up before we left the village.”

“No. I mean, okay, I _did_ do those things. Which, I’m sorry, by the way. But we also had some fun. Didn’t we?”

Katara was delighted by how flustered Zuko was getting. It was simply too easy to tease him. She decided to give him a break. “We did. I was pretty surprised by it, actually.”

“Me too,” he said pensively. He sipped his tea. “So, are you going to share your mystery tea with me?”

Now it was Katara’s turn to be flustered. “You don’t need it, don’t worry about it.”

“What? Why not?”

She mumbled into her cup, “it’s contraceptive tea”

“It’s what?”

“Contraceptive tea! Okay?! It’s contraceptive tea!” She blushed furiously.

Zuko’s mouth fell open. “Wait? Are you telling me you bought _contraceptive tea_ back when we were still in the village? You bought it, for the journey to Ba Sing Se, with me?”

Katara’s blush turned an even deeper red. “Listen, a girl has to be prepared, all right? I always like to carry some on me.” She tried to ignore Zuko’s increasingly amused grin as she went on, “I like to have it _whether or not_ I’m traveling with inconveniently attractive firebenders, okay? Just, shut up, will you! It’s good for other stuff too, not just that. Just a good all-round tea for women’s health.”

“Sure, yeah. If you say so.”

“I do say so! And you should be damn well pleased I _did_ buy it. Otherwise I could get pregnant. And we certainly wouldn’t be having any more sex! So you’re welcome.”

“So you’re saying we’ll be having more sex.”

Katara rolled her eyes, embarrassed and exasperated. She resisted the urge to bend water from the pool and splash him. “Not if you don’t wipe that smug look off your face, we won’t.”

“We’ll see about that.” He smirked, knowing the empty threat for what it was.


	13. Chapter 13

Katara felt a bit sad when it was time to leave the cave. It was so beautiful, a little magical oasis tucked away and hidden from the world. She wondered if anything would change between them when they left, but as they got on their way, the conversation and banter kept up just the same. Traveling with a happy Zuko (a _happy_ Zuko!) was a completely different experience than traveling with the reticent, irritable version of him she’d been on the road with up until now.

In truth, she could hardly believe how much she enjoyed his company. He was clever and self-possessed—at least, until she did or said something to rattle him, and then he’d become adorably awkward, which made her laugh. And he never expected her to take care of him, which it felt like she was always having to do for the rest of her friends, even Aang, who wanted to be with her romantically but still treated her like a nurturing figure.

But perhaps most surprising was that Zuko was sensitive and, dare she say it, sweet—both things she’d only caught glimpses of previously, before he’d put up his defenses again. Now, though, he began to relax and open up, allowing her to get to know the real person underneath all of the hurt and anger.

The days passed, and she was surprised by how easily they fell into a comfortable rhythm. They both slid into it like it was it was the most natural thing in the world. She grew accustomed to falling asleep next to him, wrapped in his arms, cuddled against him, feeling completely safe and treasured; then, waking in the morning to his warm breath—and often, hot lips—on her neck. She grew ever more fond of all the little things about him, like his messy morning hair, his diligent dedication to practicing his firebending and combat techniques, and the fact that although he drank tea, she wasn’t entirely sure he actually liked it.

And no matter how much sex they had, she was astounded that her desire for him never dimmed. It was the opposite—the more she had him, the more she wanted, insatiable as wildfire. As soon as she ceased touching him, her fingers ached to return to his skin. He seemed to feel the same way, like he would never get enough. She’d often catch him watching her with a hungry look in his eyes that made her shiver in excitement—and usually that was all it took to send them both up in flames.

She thought he’d been right, when he said he would consume her if she let him. But she wasn’t the only one who was consumed.

* * *

They began a regular routine of sparring in the evenings, on nights when they were sure no one was around to notice a firebender in the middle of the Earth Kingdom. It was exhilarating (and, more often than not, turned into a _different_ kind of sparring, by the end). And just as Zuko had suggested, Katara soon found herself discovering new methods.

One night they were sparring next to a river, when Zuko suddenly broke out two huge fire whips, which she only barely managed to dodge. As the flames lashed out beside her, she got an idea for her own bending.

“You’re going to have to do better than that, waterbender,” Zuko called out, cracking the whips beside him.

Katara concentrated, bending a large amount of water from the river and molding it onto her arms, creating huge squid-like appendages that she could crack out in longer whips than her usual ones.

“Thanks for the idea,” she said, reaching her squid-arms toward him. Zuko tried to jump away but the water was faster, and had a longer reach. She grabbed his legs and held him immobile as he struggled.

He continued to squirm as she walked closer. Typical of him, absolutely refusing to give up even when he’d clearly lost.

“I win,” she said, releasing the water and pouncing into his arms. She wrapped her legs around his waist.

“This time,” he conceded, carrying her to their sleeping bags and lowering her to them gently, kissing her all the while.

The next time they sparred, Zuko had figured out a way to defeat the squid arms, with a sharp burst of flame that ripped across them.

* * *

They were getting closer to Ba Sing Se, having now gone past the city of Omashu and following the river toward where they’d heard there was a ferry into the city for refugees.

Tonight, they sat by the campfire after their evening meal, Katara sitting between Zuko’s legs and leaning against his chest. Zuko casually traced patterns along her arms with his fingers.

“Remember when I taught you how to play Would You Rather, and you tried to use it to interrogate me?” Katara said, breaking the comfortable silence they’d been sharing staring into the fire together.

“Yes. I recall the game ended pretty quickly after that.” Zuko pressed his lips to the top of her head.

“Well, how about you redeem yourself? Let’s play again. I’ve always liked to play this game around the fire.” Katara twisted around to look at him, a hopeful smile on her face.

“All right.” Zuko furrowed his brow, trying to come up with a good question.

Katara started. “Would you rather… eat my cooking or yours?”

“Is this a trick question?”

“No! Come on, answer.”

“Yours. It’s really good. And, you cook with flavors that I haven’t really tried before.”

Katara was flattered. “Thank you! Okay, your turn.”

“Would you rather be able to use your bending only to heal or only to fight?”

“Wow. That is a really hard one.” Katara was quiet for a while, thinking as the fire crackled. Finally, she decided, “Fight.”

“Really? That wasn’t what I was expecting.”

“Yeah, well. Healing people is important, but I think the world needs warriors right now. To fight…” she hesitated. “The Fire Nation. Oppression. Invasion. I think I can help more people using my bending to fight. As much as I wish that weren’t the case, it is. And, combat bending is also used for defense, which _definitely_ is important, the way my life is going right now. You know, traveling with the Avatar and all.”

“Right. The Avatar.” Zuko felt a bit of his old anger flare up, which he tried to push away. And something new, a twinge of possessiveness.

“Would you rather be back in our cave or be in Ba Sing Se tomorrow?” Katara leaned against him.

Another question, one she didn’t dare ask, hung in her mind: _Would you rather stay with me or get to go back to the Fire Nation?_ It wasn’t a fair question and she knew it… but she thought of it anyway.

Zuko felt his heart tug at her question. As they had been drawing closer to Ba Sing Se, he’d developed a foreboding feeling that he was getting closer and closer to losing his waterbender, too.

“The cave,” he said seriously. Then, trying to lighten the mood, “As much as I like my uncle, I’d rather spend a bit of extra time in your company.” 

“I’m flattered. Though I suppose my company does come with some extra _perks_.” She burrowed her face into his neck, planting little kisses up toward his ear.

“Mmm,” he sighed and tilted his head back. Then he took one of her hands in his, bringing it inches from his lips. “Would you rather I kiss your palm or your fingertips?”

“Fingertips,” she breathed.

Zuko gently brought each finger to his lips, kissing the tip slowly before moving on to the next. Katara felt her stomach do a somersault.

Still, two could play at this game.

“Would you rather I start touching you or myself right now?” Katara smiled impishly.

Zuko swallowed heavily.

“Yourself,” he managed, his voice hoarse.

Katara pulled off her shoes and leggings. Then, locking eyes with him, she slid her hand under her dress, between her legs.

Zuko watched, forgetting that they were supposed to be playing a game.

“It’s your turn,” she said huskily.

“I’m going to kiss you all over. Do you want... _would you rather…_ I nip your skin as I go, or suck?” Zuko’s golden eyes were beginning to harbor the carnal flame that always fueled Katara’s own excitement.

“Nip,” she said, yielding to him as he began trailing lingering kisses down her neck and across her chest. At her reply, he punctuated the soft kisses with small bites as he went.

“Ahh,” Katara groaned, the slight sting of pain adding another dimension to the pleasure that was gathering in her core. Her body tingled with electricity, set off with each nip of Zuko’s teeth on her sensitive skin.

Taking her hand out from between her legs, she tugged at Zuko’s shirt, peeling him out of it while he continued to kiss and nip along her body, anywhere he found bare skin. He carefully unfastened her necklace and set it beside them.

“After I take off my dress, would you rather I remove my top or bottom wraps first?”

“Top. And I didn’t say you could stop touching yourself,” Zuko said, encircling his hand around her wrist and drawing it back down between her legs.

Katara flushed with heat. She quickly removed her dress with Zuko’s help, then her top sarashi wraps. Zuko immediately dipped his head and planted wet kisses on the swell of her breasts, biting lightly and moving toward her nipple. His tongue flitted across, teasing, then swept more slowly, circling around the hard nub. When his warm mouth settled over her nipple and began to suck, she moaned salaciously. The sound enflamed Zuko with blistering need.

As he lavished attention on her breasts, she wiggled free of her bottom wraps. She brought her own fingers to rub along her clit in just the way she knew she liked. Moisture coated her fingers as she stroked up and down.

Zuko moved from one breast to the other. His cock throbbed as his own desire raged. Finally, he tore himself away from her chest.

“Katara, I’m so hard already. Would you rather use your hands or your mouth on me?”

“Mouth,” she said with a sly grin, watching his eyes go wide.

She pushed him out of his pants and boots, then onto his back. His large cock strained insistently toward her. She kissed down his chiseled chest and stomach, reaching his thighs and the soft black curled hair between his spread legs.

She pressed a kiss to the head of his cock before parting her lips and, slowly at first, taking it into her mouth, sucking lightly. He convulsed, groaning involuntarily with the pleasure of being encompassed by her soft, wet, hot mouth. Then, she swirled her tongue around the head of his penis, flicking it across the sensitive tip.

She began to move faster, bobbing and sucking and swirling until he was almost drowning in lust and devotion and primal need. Heat pooled in his stomach, so intense it felt like his blood was on fire and every lick pushed him closer to an edge that he didn’t want to reach just yet.

“W-waterbender,” he stuttered. “S-stop, or I’ll come.”

Slowly Katara pulled off of his cock, sucking as she went. Looking up at him with her cheeks flushed and her hair mussed, she bit her swollen lips and smiled wantonly—and that alone nearly drove him over.

With mischief in her eyes, she casually picked up a strand from one of her sarashi wraps, lying on the ground. In a low voice she said, “Would you rather tie my hands or my ankles?”

_Oh._

Zuko’s mind went blank. Short-circuited. Cannot compute. His mouth went dry. He stared at her with a dumbfounded expression until she began to blush.

“Unless, you don’t want—”

“Yes,” he croaked, interrupting her.

“Which is it, then?” Her heartbeat skittered.

“Hands.” Zuko’s pulse was beating in his ears as she handed him the fabric.

Still kneeling, Katara obediently turned around and held her hands out together behind her back. Zuko swallowed. Scrambling to his knees, he wound the wraps firmly around her wrists. He tugged them for good measure, then tied a knot.

“It’s not too tight, is it?” He traced a finger over her skin, starting at her wrist and moving up the curve of her arm to her shoulder, then to her waist and along the curve of her hip.

“Nope.” She leaned back against him, twisting her head so she could kiss him over her shoulder.

He kissed her from behind, thrusting his tongue possessively into her mouth. Both his hands now roamed freely over her body. He squeezed her breast roughly and she groaned into his mouth. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought… but then, Katara was always surprising him in new and exciting ways. If this was what she wanted, he was more than happy to play along; in fact, he would delight in it.

Katara quivered under his touch. Being bound, putting herself at his mercy, reminded her of when she’d first kissed him on his ship and he’d pushed her up against the wall, all scorching need and furious desire. Now, as then, she felt incredibly turned on giving up control to him, like he could do whatever he wanted to her. There was something about relinquishing power to another person, knowing they wanted you and giving yourself to them fully, that was terribly arousing.

Still behind her, he kissed her shoulders and neck, opening his mouth to lick and suck her skin, nipping sporadically. One of his hands snaked around her midsection proprietarily, hauling her closer against him until she could feel his erection jutting into her lower back. His other hand slid up her thigh, tickling butterfly-soft against the sensitive skin there. Katara’s breath hitched and she released a small whine in the back of her throat.

Her body moved forward a little on its own, and when Zuko forcefully pulled her back against him, her stomach fluttered wildly.

He murmured, “Is this what you wanted, waterbender? Just tell me if it’s too much.”

It was all she could do to gasp, “Yes, yes, this is what I want.”

Her words sent a bolt of lust straight to his cock. The firelight highlighted every indentation of muscle and smooth curve of her body. He took it all in, the sight of her on her knees with her hands tied behind her back, breasts jutting out. She was _stunning_ , and right now she was all his to enjoy. More than that, she _wanted_ him to have his way with her. It ignited something primitive, deep inside him.

He slid his hand back up to her breast and rolled her nipple between his fingers, pinching it lightly. Then, a little harder. Katara moaned and let her head fall back onto his shoulder.

With his other hand, he caressed her inner thigh tantalizingly, coyly, until she found herself squirming, trying to encourage him to move his fingers just a little further up. She could feel her arousal gushing now, and her passage throbbed, craving him.

Zuko swished a finger lazily across her clit, then took his hand away. She groaned in protest.

“Uh-uh. We’re still playing the game,” he paused, grinding up against her just a little. His hand returned to her thigh, tracing teasing circles. “You want me to take you, don’t you?”

Excitement caught in her throat, Katara could only nod wordlessly.

“Well, you’ll have to wait, since I seem to be in charge here. But I’ll give you one choice. _Would you rather_ I pay attention to your breasts or your clit right now?”

She said breathlessly, “My clit.”

“Should I make you beg me?” Zuko fluttered his fingers on her thigh for effect.

“Please, please, Zuko.”

He could feel the way her entire body thrummed with arousal. She was enjoying this. So was he.

“Beg me again,” he commanded.

“Ahh, Zuko, I’m begging you, please.”

“Good,” he whispered in her ear, his warm breath sending shudders all the way down her spine. With that he brought his fingers back to her clit and began stroking gently, slowly, excruciatingly. Her body responded automatically, rocking back and forth.

Zuko pushed her knees further apart and repositioned himself behind her so the head of his cock grazed against her entrance. Needing him desperately, she tried to bear down on him, but he leaned his hips backward, moving his cock just out of reach.

“Not yet. First, I’m going to touch you however I want. Since you begged me so nicely for it. And then I’m going to take you, how and when I want to.”

Katara shuddered with exhilaration at his words and ground her body back against him again.

Then, his fingers began moving faster and faster along her clit, building a familiar feeling of tension deep in her abdomen, forcing a needy whimper from her lips.

Her body wanted to lurch forward with the sensations, but Zuko held her firmly upright on her knees with his free hand encircling her collarbone, pressing her into him, not choking her but in full control. He kissed her jawline and neck greedily from behind.

She could feel his cock probing from behind her, just outside her entrance. Every nerve in her body screamed that she needed to feel him inside her, but every time she tried to impale herself on him, he would twist just out of reach. The sweet torture was driving her mad.

“I love making you like this,” Zuko growled. “So beautiful. So perfect for me. I’m going to fuck you so hard, waterbender.”

At his words, he yanked her into the right position and plunged his cock into her abruptly, making her feel ravished. She moaned in her throat, the friction rubbing exquisitely against all the places deep inside her that had been crying out for him. He held her body against his with unyielding strength as he took her. She felt him deeper and deeper with every push.

In only a few thrusts, Katara could feel that the pressure was about to snap. On the precipice of her climax, she arched her back and drove herself onto him harder.

“Say my name,” he ordered, his voice low and husky. “When you come for me.”

“How…” she panted, barely able to get out the words, “do you always know how to make me feel, so ah—incredible? Aahh, oh, Zuko! _Zuko!_ ”

Then she could speak no more. The tension exploded, shuddering paroxysms detonating throughout her body. She cried out in pleasure, louder and louder the harder Zuko delved into her. Each thrust heightened the vibrations until she could barely stand it. Her passage clenched and pulsated around Zuko’s cock as her orgasm raged through her body.

Zuko felt his own climax coming. It was too much, her quivering and throbbing around his cock as he took her from behind, her hands tied, moaning like that, calling out his name and setting his blood on fire. An animalistic hunger overtook him.

He pulled her onto him again and again, sinking his cock in voraciously, reveling in the feel of her. Burning hot pleasure flooded through him and his arms tightened around her, needing more of her, needing to feel her with every inch of his body, as the waves of pleasure washed over him. His groans joined hers and his vision seemed to white out, his body suddenly no longer under his control as he began to shake with his orgasm.

They rode out the sensations together until they were both trembling and spent.

It took a moment for Katara to come back to herself. She leaned her head against his shoulder, unable to hold herself upright anymore. Zuko lazily moved her sweaty hair off her neck and kissed her there tenderly.

Katara sighed and closed her eyes, resting in the moment.

“I guess I better let you loose now,” Zuko chuckled in her ear, before working at the knot around her wrists with his fingers.

“Mmm. That was so good,” Katara mumbled.

“I didn’t know you liked that kind of thing.”

“I didn’t either. I’ve never done it before. Well, until you pushed me up against the wall…” she blushed at the admission.

“You know, we could have had _a lot_ more fun when I had you tied to that tree.” He nipped her earlobe playfully, now carefully unwinding the wraps.

When her wrists were free, Katara stretched her arms in front of her. Even after orgasming only a few minutes ago, her stomach did a little flip at his words. There _was_ a lot more fun to be had. Still…

“I don’t know about that. I really hated you then, you know.”

“I know,” he said, serious now. Involuntarily, Zuko clutched her closer to him. “And now?”

Katara twisted around to look him in the eye. Her blue eyes glowed luminous in the light of the campfire.

“I certainly don’t hate you now.” She kissed him softly and he felt like he was falling apart. “Although I feel like maybe you’ve possessed me, or something. It’s pretty intense, whatever this is. Isn’t it?”

“It is. I’ve never… had anything like it. Felt anything like it. With anyone.” His eyes bored into hers, the very picture of passion. _And it’s not just the sex,_ he thought.

“Me neither.” She wanted to blush and look away, but she made herself hold his intense gaze.

The moment lingered. Things unsaid— _feelings_ unsaid—swooped just within reach. Any second now, someone would say something that couldn’t be taken back.

Then Katara giggled nervously, shattering the charged silence. The words unsaid scattered into the wind.

* * *

Soon after, they snuggled in their sleeping bags in the tent (whose size now felt just right).

As he held her, thoughts turned through Zuko’s mind. He felt content and filled with the joy of her. Nothing had ever felt so right as holding her in his arms.

_No one has ever made me feel like this in my life. When she smiles at me, when I make her laugh, my heart feels… well, like maybe things could be okay. Like I didn’t lose my honor, my place, my family, my father’s respect. If only I could get my honor back. I wouldn’t be a disappointment. Maybe I could make someone happy—make_ her _happy. I want to make her happy. I wonder, could I bring her home with me? A waterbender. Would father ever accept her? Would she even want to go?_

_No. She wouldn’t. Of course not, don’t have foolish fantasies. It doesn’t matter anyway. I don’t have my honor, I_ _can’t go back. And she wouldn’t go with me, even if I did. It’s one thing that she enjoys having sex with me, maybe even enjoys my company despite herself. But what I’m thinking now… it’s a whole other thing. She wouldn’t want that with me. She said it herself, she hated me before and she’s only confused now. She wouldn’t go with me. She’ll stay with the Avatar. The Avatar. If I only had him, I’d have my honor back. I’d be able to do anything, then. And what is her relationship with him, anyway? She said I’m not her first. Was it him?_

Katara, too, was lost in her thoughts.

_I can’t believe this is the same Zuko who used to hunt us down and be so mean all the time. He’s changed so much. I wonder if I could convince him to stay with me after we get to Ba Sing Se. Oh, but how would I tell my friends? Sokka would freak out. How could I make them accept him? Trust him? But if they did… And he could even teach Aang firebending! Oh no… Aang. He’ll be devastated, he won’t understand. But he’s only sixteen, he’s infatuated with me now but it will pass. It has to. I don’t want to hurt him, never… but I can’t give up Zuko, just to save Aang’s feelings. What about_ my _feelings? My feelings… And if they all see how he’s changed, it’ll be fine, I’ll make sure it’s fine._

_If he would just stay._

Katara drew her fingertips over his skin in the darkness, up his arm and shoulder, then along his jawline. Gently, she followed the jawline to his scarred flesh and over the thin skin of the old burn.

Self-conscious, Zuko caught her hand in his, intertwining their fingers and moving her hand away.

“What happened? Is it okay if I ask?” she said softly.

Zuko’s arm tightened around her and he was silent for so long that Katara didn’t think he was going to answer.

Then, “My father. It was my fault.”

“What? Was it an accident?”

“It wasn’t.”

“What happened?”

“I—don’t want to say. You’ll think less of me.”

“It feels like every time I learn something new about you, I think only more of you. Somehow, I don’t think this will be any different.” Katara squeezed his hand reassuringly.

“Fine.” Zuko swallowed, difficult emotions rising in his throat. “I deserved it. It was when I lost my honor. I interrupted a general in a war meeting. I disrespected my father, speaking out of turn in his war room. Then I… this is embarrassing, Katara. I was to fight an Agni Kai in punishment. But I didn’t know it was my father I’d be fighting. I refused to fight him, I… I begged him. For mercy. I was a coward. Shameful. So he marked my face and took my honor to teach me a lesson.”

Zuko wrested his hand from Katara’s and twisted away, filled with humiliation. He felt sick. He was sure she would recoil from him now, disgusted with his cowardice.

“Oh my...” Katara breathed, horrified. She fell silent as his words sank in. “Zuko, that’s horrible!”

“I told you you’d think less of me.”

“I do _not_!”

“You don’t?”

“No! How dare your father, your own _father_ —” Katara shook with indignant anger. “How could he _do_ that to you? How old were you?”

“Fifteen.” 

“Fifteen! You were only fifteen and your father—the _Fire Lord_ —tried to duel you, his own son? To teach you not to speak out of turn in a meeting?! He burned you. _On purpose._ That is so awful, Zuko. You didn’t deserve that. No one deserves that!”

Katara reached out to touch his arm, but Zuko jerked away.

“Don’t say that. I did deserve it. I dishonored him, then I brought shame to our family with my cowardice. He was right to strip me of my honor.”

“What do you mean he was right? What could you possibly have said in the war meeting that was so terrible?”

“I—I said that we shouldn’t send a troop of inexperienced soldiers to the slaughter as a distraction tactic. But it isn’t about _what_ I said. It wasn’t my place to say anything. And it is my shameful actions—my disrespect, my weakness, my disgraceful pathetic begging—that deserve to be punished.”

Katara felt like the world was turning as she vibrated with righteous fury. His story made her want to burn down the whole Fire Nation—even more than she usually did.

Weeks ago when she’d been awoken by Zuko’s nightmare, she had wondered what it must have been like to have the Fire Lord as a father. The Fire Lord, who was known throughout the world for being sadistic and cruel. Now, it was becoming all too clear. As Zuko sat beside her now, tense and curled into himself, she could see the legacy it had left. The person who was supposed to love and protect him when he was a child was the one who hurt him. The one who made him beg for mercy, and still didn’t grant it. And after a lifetime of being treated that way, Zuko actually believed he _deserved_ it.

“And then he banished you, on top of it.”

“Yes. I can only get my honor back if I capture the Avatar for the Fire Nation. That’s the only way I can redeem myself. The only way I can go home. That’s why I hunted you and your friends.”

“Zuko.” She reached out to him again. She wished she could take him in her arms and smooth away all of this pain, all of the loneliness and despair, all of the feeling like he was a disgrace, despised by his father. She felt like she understood him so much more now, and it broke her heart to think of what he’d been through.

She thought it was amazing—a true testament to his character—that after everything, he still had any piece of his kind heart, his softness, left. No wonder he’d tried to deny it and hide it away, even kill it. It was survival.

“Don’t touch me.”

“You know what I think?”

“No.”

“I think your father is wrong. I think that it’s wicked to put your own child through that. I don’t see weakness, I see compassion. I see a young man who didn’t want to fight his own father. I see a grown man, a _father_ , who was appallingly cruel. And I don’t think that you ever lost your honor. I think you showed more honor than him and the rest of his shitty war room generals combined. I don’t think your father _could_ take it away from you, no matter what he told you.”

“Well, he did take it.” Zuko snarled, his internalized shame and self-loathing not allowing him to accept her words. Even all these years later, the memory was still raw.

She moved closer to him, “Zuko…”

“I don’t need your pity.”

“It’s not pity. _Please._ Don’t push me away. I—care about you. I really, really do.”

He wanted to believe her; he so desperately wanted to believe everything that she said. But years of hurt, neglect, and abuse at the hands of his father could not be washed away so easily. He had to believe that if he just tried hard enough, if he just did the right things and proved himself, he could still win back his father’s love and approval. He just had to.

Still, as she moved closer this time, he allowed her to touch him. Carefully, Katara wove her arms around him from behind, sliding one hand through his arm and wrapping it around his chest. His body was tense, and she could feel his heart beating forcefully through his skin.

For the first time, Zuko allowed himself to be comforted about that fateful day. Katara could feel his shoulders shaking as he grieved for what had been lost and for the want of somewhere to belong. For the want of feeling worthy and loved for who he was.

She snuggled closer and burrowed her face into the back of his neck, simply holding him until he finally relaxed and they both drifted to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you want help visualizing the sex position, [here's a little illustration.](https://images.askmen.com/720x540/sex/sex_positions/the-best-sex-positions-you-should-try-tonight/26-kneel-together-1440533334.jpg)


	14. Chapter 14

After weeks of travel, they were finally within reach of Ba Sing Se. It was early evening when Katara and Zuko walked into a town that was only an hour away from the refugee ferry to the crown city. This idyllic town, tucked away in the lush hills near the mountains, was so close to the heart of the Earth Kingdom that it would have looked completely untouched by the war if it hadn’t been for the refugees milling about, their faces a mixture of weariness and hope.

“These poor people,” Katara said. “Just look how many of them there are, torn from their homes, scared for their lives. I wish we could help them all.”

Zuko gazed around at the refugees, seeing them through Katara’s eyes. He was surprised to realize that he no longer saw them as dirty peasants, beneath his notice, but as fully fledged people with families, struggles, and dreams. He remembered the family they’d saved from the moose-lions, and the little boy who had hugged him in such fierce gratitude.

“The war has really been hard on them, hasn’t it?” Zuko mused.

“It’s been hard on a lot of people,” Katara said, her thoughts turning to her mother.

“Yeah.” Zuko looked downcast.

Katara grabbed his hand and threaded her fingers through his. Zuko looked at her in disbelief—he hadn’t thought she’d want to show affection for him in public like this. Especially not so close to where her friends likely were.

She smiled at him encouragingly, “But we’re trying to help. We are making a difference.”

Again, she thought about how much of a difference they could make if Zuko would just join their side—a powerful firebender, the (admittedly, exiled) prince of the Fire Nation, someone who knew intimate details about the Fire Nation and its armies. She didn’t want to push it yet, though, hoping he would come around on his own when they caught up with Aang and the others.

Spotting a comfortable-looking inn at the end of the street, Katara sped up, pulling Zuko by the hand.

“Where are you dragging me?”

“Look at the inn! Let’s sleep in a real bed tonight!” she exclaimed, urging him to go faster.

Zuko grumbled, thinking of the sparse funds that remained in his purse.

“My treat, come on!” Katara had been carrying the bulk of the money for her friends when she’d been lost in the desert, since Aang definitely couldn’t be trusted with it. And when traveling with Aang, they had always seemed to be able to earn money, usually from grateful people they’d helped. Although she didn’t have a huge amount, she had enough to spare for one night.

Zuko felt embarrassed that he, Fire Nation royalty who grew up wanting for nothing, had to have his room paid for by someone else. But she was so excited, and he certainly wasn’t about to suggest they sleep on the street instead. Still, he wished he could be the one to indulge her with the nice things she deserved.

They entered the inn through a thick, wooden door to find a warmly lit common room packed with more refugees. Although most of them looked tired, the atmosphere was a happy one—after all, this was the last stop at the end of a long journey to the safety of the city. The buzz of conversation and laughter filled the whole first floor and beer seemed to be flowing liberally to patrons seated at the round tables.

Katara’s eyes lit up at the sight. She’d never seen anything quite like it—certainly not in the South Pole, and not in her travels with Aang either. The bustle and energy enlivened her.

She bounced up to the first waitress she saw, inquiring about renting a room. The waitress directed her to the owner, a pleasantly overweight man in an apron behind the bar who was laughing with some of the guests sitting on stools. He reminded her of Zuko’s uncle Iroh, actually.

“We’d like a room for tonight, please,” she said.

The man gave them an up and down glance, taking in their worn travel attire and large backpacks, dusty from weeks on the road.

“I’d love to, but there’s only one room left today and I don’t think you will be able to afford it.” He sounded genuinely regretful.

“Excuse me,” Zuko interjected loudly. “Do you mean to say you are charging a premium for your rooms when there are so many people who need a place to sleep? That sounds like war profiteering to me, you heartless—”

“Whoa, whoa, wait a minute young man!” The innkeeper interrupted what was promising to be a lengthy tirade from Zuko. “I said nothing about war profiteering or jacking up my prices. I’ll have you know,” he raised his voice so the surrounding patrons could hear, “that I’ve actually lowered my prices since the refugees started pouring in, to give as many folks a place to rest their heads as I can.”

“Then what is the meaning of telling us we can’t afford your room, if not to take advantage of us?” Zuko demanded. Katara poked him in the ribs, trying to get him to relax.

“I can only lower my prices so much without going out of business, you understand. I need to run the establishment and buy supplies, or there wouldn’t be no inn for people to stay at all, you see?”

“Yes…” Zuko conceded suspiciously.

“We understand, sir,” Katara said brightly, “but could you just tell us how much it costs to rent the room, please?”

“Sure thing. I can’t let it go for less than ten silver pieces. So you see…”

“What makes you think we can’t afford that?” Zuko snapped.

“I meant no insult, surely I didn’t,” he placated good-naturedly. “It’s just that any refugees I’ve seen coming through with only the packs on their backs don’t have any money to spare, certainly not silver.”

“Well, we do have it,” Katara said, while Zuko simply glared at the man. “And we’d like the room, please.” She extricated her small leather purse, counting out ten silver pieces.

“Of course, of course, young miss. I didn’t mean no offense, I’m happy to have you.” The innkeeper tucked the coins into a pouch on his belt and swept out from behind the bar. “Follow me, I’ll show you to your room.”

Katara grinned at Zuko, attempting to get him to wipe the scowl off his face. He relented—slightly.

They climbed the stairs to the third floor, the innkeeper chatting amiably as they went. “And you know what, how about a round for you both, on the house, as an apology for the misunderstanding?” he finished.

Zuko’s eyes widened in surprise. He wasn’t used to people being so well-meaning, particularly after getting off on the wrong foot. “That would be... nice.”

“Great! Here’s your room and we’ll see you in the common room for supper, I hope? Enjoy your stay!” The innkeeper handed Katara the key and trundled down the hallway, headed back to his guests.

She opened the door to a room that was just as cozy as the rest of the inn, everything made of rich wood, with forest green drapery on the walls and a fluffy carpet to match. A large four-poster bed sat in the middle of the room, complete with piles of green pillows and blankets.

“It’s like living in luxury!” Katara exclaimed, dropping her pack and flopping on the bed at the first opportunity.

Zuko couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm. He knew what true luxury was, and by the Fire Nation’s high standards too, but he couldn’t deny that this was the nicest place he’d been in a very long time. “Especially after sleeping on the road for weeks,” he agreed.

He flung himself onto the bed next to her, causing the mattress to bounce slightly on impact. Katara giggled and rolled into him, nestling herself in his arms without a thought. Zuko kissed her temple automatically.

“I can’t wait to have a bath and change into clean clothes,” she said. “And eat!”

Zuko nuzzled into her neck. “I could do without all that and just stay in bed with you until tomorrow.”

“That’s right! We have never actually been in a bed, have we?” Katara blushed, somehow feeling like having a bed made everything all the more serious.

“Nope,” he said, now moving to nibble on her ear.

Katara closed her eyes and leaned into him, until they were interrupted by a loud gurgle from her stomach.

“You’re hungry,” Zuko conceded reluctantly.

“Starving,” she said as her stomach rumbled again.

“Let’s get ready for dinner, then.” Zuko smiled. “I want to clean up and change too, so we aren’t mistaken for people who can’t afford dinner, this time.”

* * *

“What do you think your uncle is doing, right now?” Katara asked as she sat across a small table from Zuko, taking another bite of her stew. The delicious flavors of the homecooked meal (made in a real kitchen, not a campfire—another luxury!) exploded in her mouth. She sighed in satisfaction.

“Hmmm.” Zuko took a drink from his tankard, kindly provided to them by the innkeeper, as promised. “Knowing my uncle, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s made it his mission to go to every tearoom in the city and test out their wares. He’s probably drinking tea and playing pai sho with some other old man right now.”

“I can just see that. For a Fire Nation general, your uncle isn’t very scary.”

“ _Ex_ -Fire Nation general. And think what you want, but I wouldn’t want to be on his bad side.”

“No, I suppose not.” Katara chewed thoughtfully.

“I’d take beer over tea any day, though,” he said, taking another swig.

“It _is_ good, isn’t it?” She took a drink herself. She was only halfway into her glass, and she could already feel the slight buzz of the beverage working its magic. “Even if it’s just for today, this is so nice. Just sitting, ordering food, having a real bed to sleep in.”

_With you._

“It is very nice. The company is okay too. I guess.” Zuko teased, watching for her response.

“Hey!” She debated flinging some of her stew at him but thought better of it and popped it into her mouth instead. She settled for kicking him under the table.

“Ouch, watch who you’re kicking, little peasant.” He grinned, knowing the words would get a rise out of her.

“I’m not above bending your beer onto your head, you know. _Your Fieriness,_ ” she retorted.

“Don’t waste good beer.”

“Don’t make me.”

Zuko smirked and drained the last of his cup. “Looks like I’ll need another glass if you’re going to be able to threaten me with it.”

As the meal went on, they discussed their plans for once they reached Ba Sing Se. Zuko needed to find Iroh; and Katara wasn’t even certain her friends would be there, it was only her best guess that they were. The only way to find out anything would be to ask around once they arrived and go from there.

Throughout the conversation, an undercurrent of unease built between them. Neither wanted to bring up the reality that faced them—changes were coming soon, and not necessarily welcome ones. No matter what, the easy connection they’d formed on their journey would be coming up against new elements. Especially if they found Aang. As far as Aang and gang knew, Zuko was not on their side. Katara also knew how heavily the issue of Zuko’s honor weighed on him. She wasn’t sure how he’d feel when face-to-face with the Avatar again.

Zuko drained another tankard as Katara finally finished her first. Taking in the sight of her from across the table, his heart felt like it was constricting. _I’m going to lose her, aren’t I? After today, nothing will ever be the same._

She said, “I’m done. That was a huge drink.”

“Want another?”

“That’s probably not a good idea. We have a big day tomorrow.”

“You’re right. And you look pretty tipsy already,” Zuko grinned. “A waterbender who can’t hold her drink.”

“You better not be planning on taking advantage of me,” Katara said flirtatiously.

Zuko’s unrestrained laughter rang out in the tavern. “I think that ship has long since sailed, don’t you?”

She giggled and as she did, Zuko felt a rush of powerful feeling. If things were going to change between them tomorrow, he needed to show her—now—how he felt.

“If you’re done, do you want to head upstairs then?” he asked, taking her hand in his across the table and stoking it lightly.

Katara caught something in his eyes that made her feel weak in the knees. “Yes.”

When they got to their room, Katara tried to kiss him immediately but Zuko resisted, backing off just enough to hold her shoulders gently and look her in the eye. The energy between them instantly ramped up, helped along by the intoxication they were both feeling from the drinks.

“Tonight, can you let me show you how much I—” Zuko swallowed his next words. “I mean, I want you to let me take care of you tonight. Please, let me do that. Before we—before tomorrow.”

Katara quivered, feeling the intensity behind his words and lost in the eyes that held her with an almost desperate appeal. She simply nodded.

Zuko guided her to the bed, pushing her to sit with gentle pressure. Standing in front of her, he leaned closer and placed two warm fingertips underneath her chin, tilting her face up. Then his mouth was on hers, kissing her softly, lingering, relishing. Katara shivered and reached for him, drawing him closer.

He kept kissing her in that slow way, now lightly flicking his tongue across her lips, then into her mouth as she opened to receive him. Katara felt like her head was spinning as the kiss continued. For how long, she had no idea.

Eventually, his lips moved off hers and began to trace her jaw, still slow and savoring. She closed her eyes as he found her ear, his breath warm on her neck, and nibbled her lobe before covering her throat with kisses and the caress of his tongue.

When he returned to her mouth, she thought she was going to melt into the bed from the aching gentleness of it.

When Zuko backed away again, he feasted his eyes on her as she sat waiting for him on the bed, her cheeks flushed, eyes shining. He wanted always to remember this. But he wanted, even more, for _her_ never to forget.

“Have I told you today how perfectly gorgeous you are?” he asked earnestly.

“Maybe a few times, though not in so many words,” she breathed, wondering at this mood that had come over him. She felt like her heart was fluttering out of her chest.

“You are perfect. Gorgeous. Amazing. Stunning. Magnificent.” He moved aside the fabric of her dress to bare her shoulders and punctuated each word with a soft kiss down her neck and along the tops of her shoulders. His fingers gently glided along her neck, deftly undoing her necklace to allow him to plant another slow kiss on her throat.

“Come here,” she said, cupping his cheeks and pulling his face back to hers. “You are wonderful yourself. Handsome. And kinder than you know.”

Zuko wanted to tell her that he wasn’t any of those things, not really, but he didn’t want to make this about him. Instead, he let her pull his lips to hers and focused on matching the passion of her now urgent kiss.

Katara tugged at his shirt and pants, suddenly needing to have more contact, to feel his skin against hers, to forget where her body ended and his began. Zuko stopped kissing her long enough to rip off his clothes. But when Katara began pulling off her dress, he stopped her with a gentle hand.

“Let me.”

He knelt on the floor in front of where she sat on the bed and reached under her dress to gently pull down her leggings, his fingertips grazing along the soft skin of her legs as he went. He dipped his head to plant a savoring kiss on each part of her bare skin as it was revealed. Her boots came off when he reached her feet, then he moved slowly back up her legs, pushing her dress up as he went and kissing her thighs, along the curves of her hips, up her stomach, then her chest and the swell of her breasts above her wraps.

Goosebumps covered her body. Every touch felt heightened by the tantalizing deliberateness of it all. The soft sensations of her own dress dragging across her flesh. His featherlight fingertips trailing, sending shivers from her head to toes. And his hot mouth, wet, kissing each inch of skin like it was a cherished treasure. Her skin felt hypersensitive, overloading her brain with the sensations. Finally, her dress was all but off, and she helped Zuko pull it over her head.

As quickly as she could, Katara tore off her sarashi wraps as well and reached for him hungrily. She pulled him down on the bed and his heavy weight settled on top of her, feeling warm and solid and _right._ She craned her head up and parted her lips for Zuko, who kissed her fiercely.

She pushed herself against him, trying to get even closer somehow, and kissed him harder. Zuko couldn’t contain a moan. His hands roamed along her naked curves and she felt a slight sting as he bit her bottom lip.

Breathing hard, Zuko retreated and saw her swollen lip. He took a deep breath, grasping for control. He wanted this to last. He wanted to shower her in pleasure, to worship her and her body with all of his being.

“What is it?” she asked, wondering if something was wrong.

“I just want to take my time, this time. I want to please you. So you’ll—” _understand how I feel._ “Uh. I just want it to be special, I guess.”

Even though the beer made him feel bold tonight—bold enough to be vulnerable—he still couldn’t bring himself to say what he really wanted to.

Katara smiled, the gentle light in the room dancing in her eyes. “It is. It always is.”

Zuko couldn’t contain a slight thrust of his hips at the huskiness in her voice. He kissed her again, more gently now, until she felt like she was losing her mind. He caressed her body and she arched to his touch, which swept along the fullness of her breasts, the taut muscles of her stomach and the dip of her waist. She couldn’t help but explore him with her hands as well, feeling his powerful back and shoulders, the coiled strength in arms and chest.

When he pulled away again and looked down at her, she felt like his eyes touched something inside of her that she hadn’t known was there. She trembled expectantly.

His hand traveled back up to her breast, the nipple hardening in his palm. He bent his head to take her other breast in his mouth, sucking and teasing her nipple with his tongue. Katara groaned as he drew circles with his tongue and she pushed herself into him, wanting, needing, shuddering.

When her hips began to buck, Zuko released her breasts and began to kiss down her ribs, then across her torso, following the indent of her abs to her stomach. He pulled one hand to his mouth and kissed each finger, then her palm, then her wrist, up the inside curve of her arm. She closed her eyes and surrendered to the delirious sensations now pulsing with rhythmic heat through her body.

He wanted to know all of her. He wanted the feel of her burned into his palms, seared onto his lips. He kissed along her hips, then down her leg to kiss the tops of her feet before moving up the other leg. It was all Katara could do to hold still, but she felt that it was somehow important for her to do so, that it was what they both needed in this moment.

He gently separated her legs, now planting hot lingering kisses on her inner thighs. She could feel herself pulsing impatiently as his lips moved closer and closer to her junction of her thighs, until the need became excruciating.

“Zuko…” she gasped, running her hands through his hair. “Please.”

He dipped his tongue briefly, tasting her. Katara felt a rush of wetness and a quake run through her entire body. Zuko felt an answering surge of desire straight to his groin, but stayed where he was, determined to maintain his tenuous grip on his control.

He tasted her again, circling his tongue around her clit, slowly. She lay back, moaning, as he sped up the pace, her need mounting until she was breathing in mewling gasps. She rode the exquisite sensations coursing through her, her moans becoming louder and more insistent until she was on the precipice of release.

Just at that moment, Zuko’s tongue disappeared, and he went back to kissing her thighs.

“I need—” was all Katara could manage in protest.

“Don’t worry,” Zuko smiled into her thigh.

A few moments later, his tongue was back on her clit, moving up and down, hitting just the right places. Her hips rose up and all of her muscles tensed. Again, she moaned feverishly, on the edge of release, when Zuko pulled away.

“I’m so close… please,” she gasped.

“I know. Just wait a little longer. It’ll be worth it.” Zuko brought a hand up to caress her breast, making her jump as his finger brushed against her nipple.

Soon, his tongue was back between her legs. The pressure was now building to unbearable heights. She writhed on the bed, orgasm just out of reach, a tsunami of sensation held back by an increasingly fragile dam.

“Zuko…” she all but sobbed.

He stopped and went back to kissing her thighs.

Katara lost all sense of time and place, she didn’t know how long it went on for. She transcended her body, becoming a being of pure desire, completely malleable to the attentions of Zuko’s mouth and tongue.

Eventually, she felt as though she had disintegrated entirely. Again, she felt her climax rising deep in her core, her breath hitching in shallow gasps. This time, however, Zuko increased the speed and pressure with his tongue as she came to the edge.

The resulting explosion burned through her soul as she finally came in long, deep, spasming convulsions. Her vision disappeared. She could not hear or smell or taste; only the sensation of touch remained. Even her toes and fingertips went numb, her body abandoning them in favor of the throbbing vibrations rocking through her core. Her mind blanked out in unadulterated white-hot pleasure, her body thrashing on the bed, out of her control, undone.

It felt like minutes, maybe hours, went by before she finally came back to herself. She wanted to exclaim her pleasure, to ask what and why and how, but she couldn’t find the right part of her mind to form intelligible language.

A storm of lust crackled in Zuko’s eyes. He watched her as her breathing became just a little more controlled. Then, he returned his tongue to her slit, jolting her back into awareness.

“No, no,” she mumbled, “it’s too much, I can’t…”

Zuko grinned up at her. “I think you can. I’ll go slow,” he promised.

“Mmmm,” she groaned, not sure whether it was in dispute or acquiesce. It didn’t matter when his tongue glided softly across her over-sensitive clit. Her whole body clenched in response and then sank into the bed, and she could feel a powerful center of pleasure hidden just behind the hypersensitivity that she didn’t want to—couldn’t—deny.

After a time, his fingers probed at her entrance and she opened her legs further, craving them. They felt phenomenal as they pushed inside. Zuko licked his tongue just a little faster and began to drag his fingertips, curling his fingers deep inside and pushing up against her inner walls.

She grasped weakly at his hair and shoulders, just wanting to touch him but already finding herself nearly senseless from rising pleasure. Sweat coated her skin, slick and gleaming.

Every thrust of his fingers and swirl of his tongue sent ripples through her, and her hands began clench and unclench reflexively as the delicious tension rose up to teeter on the edge of her breaking point.

When she came again, she had to pull a pillow over her face to muffle her screams.

Once it was over, she dimly felt Zuko fit his body beside hers. Unconsciously she turned to him. She felt completely spent and yet inside she still pulsated and quaked, positively aching for him.

“Take me,” she slurred into his neck, entreating, as he planted breathtakingly gentle kisses on her skin.

Tenderly, Zuko pulled her against him and her legs draped around his hips like they belonged there. His cock strained and throbbed uncontrollably, yearning for her wet, tight embrace. He breached her slowly but firmly, a guttural moan tearing from his throat as she enfolded him.

Katara thrust her hips with as much strength as she could muster—which wasn’t much at this point—needing to feel him inside her, to touch the places that demanded stimulation that his fingers hadn’t reached.

“Aahh,” she moaned into his ear as he rocked them slowly together. Zuko kissed her neck, tasting the salt on her skin.

With a strange soft pleading in his voice, he uttered, “You’re mine.”

In full agreement, she pushed into him harder.

Now he sounded choked as he whispered again, “Say you’re mine?”

He wished she could be his, truly his, the way he’d somehow become hers, body, soul, spirit—all of it. Even if it was just for tonight. Forever would be better, but tonight would have to be enough.

Katara tightened her arms around him and pressed her forehead to his as they moved together side-by-side, “I’m yours. I’m yours.”

Zuko quivered and clutched her harder, delving into her with reverent desperation. He whispered half-formed endearments and her name over and over. She held him closer still.

A familiar wave of pleasure built in her stomach and when it crested and rolled through her body, Zuko emitted an almost hurt sound and shuddered, finally yielding to his own need and trembling from the final release.

They lay together, collapsed into the bed, unmoving for a long time.

Katara drifted in hazy contentment, utterly exhausted. When Zuko shifted, readjusting them, she curled her arm around his waist and smiled dreamily but couldn’t manage to open her eyes. And so, she didn’t see his look of devotion and sorrow as he gathered her into his arms and kissed her softly one more time.

The last thing she knew as she floated into sleep was an overpowering swell of love for Zuko that made her feel whole.


	15. Chapter 15

_~~~S2 E19: The Guru~~~_

It was late morning, two days later, when Katara and Zuko got into Ba Sing Se.

Coming out of the customs building into the city, Katara looked around in awe as the vastness of the capital city of the Earth Kingdom. Earthbender-powered monorails zoomed overhead, far above the dwellings, to all corners of the city. People bustled in the streets, many of whom had lived their whole lives without ever stepping foot outside the city’s walls. In the Lower Ring, where they now walked, the houses were crammed on top of each other, making Katara feel almost as claustrophobic as she had on the ferry—which had been a full day’s journey spent packed together with as many refugees as the vessel could fit.

Thanks to the Earth Kingdom passports that Fung gave them, they had no trouble gaining passage when they arrived at the hidden port. Their biggest concern was protecting their belongings from other refugees, some of whom were just desperate enough to try robbing other passengers. But between Zuko’s intimidating scowl and his swords displayed openly, no one tried anything.

The whole time on the ferry, Katara grappled with the fact that she was, definitely and hopelessly, in love with Zuko. A few months ago, this was the last thing she would have ever expected to happen. She still wasn’t totally sure how it _had_ happened. When she had woken up in the morning at the inn, she had just known it in her heart, without a doubt. She’d opened her eyes to see him sitting shirtless by the window, the morning light hitting his alabaster skin and making him look like some beautiful ethereal being, and the thought was simply there. _Oh spirits, I love him._ It seemed to have permeated her soul while she slept, although it must have taken root much sooner, long before she was able to notice it consciously.

On the ferry, she had rolled it over in her mind again and again, but it never changed, never budged. It simply _was_. Just like the sun would rise and set each day. And she felt like she was bursting with the joy of it. She thought about telling him constantly. But every time she opened her mouth to say it, something held her back.

First, she wasn’t sure she _should_ be in love with him—it was still very confusing, considering they had been enemies not so long ago. She knew their entanglement was going to be complicated when they started it but, spirits, this added a whole new dimension that she was not ready to deal with.

And what if she told him and he didn’t feel the same? It had, after all, only been about a month that they had been traveling together. It was too fast. They had never even discussed what this was between them—they weren’t a couple, she wasn’t his girlfriend, she didn’t really know where she stood or what he thought. The future was a total question mark. There was a war going on, and he was the crown prince of the invading nation, banished or not. Not to mention the small matter of the Avatar. Had Zuko really abandoned his quest?

Filled with uncertainty and not wanting to ruin what they had, she decided to keep her feelings to herself for the time being. It would only further complicate an already-way-too-complicated situation.

Now, Katara and Zuko stood in the middle of the muddy street, no belongings, tired from the ferry journey, and looking as much like refugees as the rest. Katara’s enthusiasm could not be quenched, however.

“This is amazing!” Katara exclaimed. “Oh, but how will we ever find anyone in a city this big?” 

Zuko reached into his pouch to pull out a small piece of paper, worn and folded many times over. “How about starting with this?”

When he held it up, Katara gasped. It was a drawing of Iroh—a pretty good one, at that.

“Where did you get that?”

Zuko gave her a self-satisfied smile. “Just a bit of thinking ahead. I ripped it off a wanted poster a few weeks ago. Thought it might come in handy.”

“Great thinking! We’ll definitely be able to find him with this!”

“If I’m good at anything, it’s hunting down people who are hard to find.” Zuko said with a deadpan tone, the corner of his eye crinkling in amusement as he waited for her reaction.

Katara dissolved into laughter at the absurdity of it all. “You’re right about that.”

They showed the paper to everyone they could find, moving through the Lower Ring. Eventually, they started to find people who recognized Iroh, claiming that he had worked as a teamaker in a place called the Pao Family Tea House—but no one had seen him in a while.

When they found the tea shop, Zuko confronted the owner.

“Where is this man?” he said without preamble, holding out the paper and interrupting the man behind the counter as he was brewing several pots of tea.

“What? Who are you?” Pao jumped, startled.

Zuko shook the paper. “This man is my uncle and I was separated from him. I need to find him. Where is he?”

“Oh, Mushi is your uncle? You should have just said so in the first place. Well, when you find him you can tell him that I’m still mad he quit on me. The shop doesn’t get nearly as many customers without him. He was my best teamaker!”

“I don’t care about any of that. Where is he now?”

“He was invited to open a shop in the Upper Ring. Too fancy for us Lower Ring folks now, I suppose.”

Katara said, “And can you tell us what the shop is called, please?”

“The Jasmine Dragon. Now either order or leave, I have customers.”

As they were leaving the shop, Katara noticed a pretty Earth Kingdom girl giving Zuko an interested look. With a flush of possessiveness, she linked her arm through Zuko’s on the way out—that girl could forget any ideas she might be getting.

When they were back on the street, Katara chuckled, “Mushi?!”

Zuko smiled. “Yeah… I came up with it on the fly when we were first fugitives. I’m surprised he’s still going by it.”

“Maybe it reminds him of you.”

* * *

They managed to make their way to the Upper Ring thanks to Katara name-dropping Toph’s family when some of the city guards questioned them when they tried to get on the monorail. As they were, they certainly looked like they belonged in the Lower Ring, but with some not-so-thinly veiled threats about provoking the ire of the powerful Beifong family, the guards allowed them through. Katara even gained some interesting information—apparently a member of the Beifong family was said to be visiting the city now. She pressed for more information but the guard knew very little—only rumors, and vague ones at that. Still, Katara’s heart leapt. It could be Toph! But she didn’t want to get her hopes up until they could find out more.

The Upper Ring of the city was breathtaking, a complete change from the squalor and poverty that permeated the Lower Ring. Huge estates with massive courtyards and private gardens were peppered among the beautifully manicured greenery of the Upper Ring boulevards.

Katara felt a little self-conscious as they walked around in their dirty travel clothes, while everyone they encountered was dressed so finely. Zuko, though, carried himself with the same commanding presence as ever.

After asking only a few people, they got directions to the Jasmine Dragon. Zuko began to look a little nervous as they approached the large, elegant building. They climbed the broad stone steps and walked past a stately rectangular pool with a fountain in the center.

“How did he manage this?” Zuko muttered, looking around at the extravagance of the place.

They stood just outside the double doors that served as the entrance to the exquisite tea shop.

“Let’s see if he’s here!” Katara said, pushing open the doors.

A massive green carpet with a golden dragon snaking along it ran from the door through the center of the building. On either side, tables filled the building to the walls, packed with refined Upper Ring customers chatting and enjoying their afternoon tea. Despite its lavishness, the tea shop still managed to exude a warm, homey feeling.

As they entered and tried to cross the carpet toward the back of the establishment, they were cut off by a hostess.

Taking one look at their clothing and generally disheveled appearance, she turned up her nose and said, “Excuse me. Can I _help_ you?” It was clear from her tone that she meant _“can I help you find your way out of here?”_ and not _“can I help you get some tea?”_

Zuko gave her a derisive look. “You can. Go tell Mushi his nephew is here.”

“ _You_ are Mushi’s nephew? I find that hard to believe.” she said condescendingly.

“I can have you fired you know. Go tell him. Now.” Zuko was getting annoyed.

As the hostess scowled and hurried off, Katara touched Zuko’s arm lightly and said, “Don’t let her get to you. You’re about to see your uncle again, aren’t you excited?”

Zuko released the tension from his shoulders. “Yeah, actually. I am.”

“LEE!” came Iroh’s voice from the back of the tea shop. Katara quickly dropped her hand from Zuko’s arm, feeling oddly guilty and realizing she had no idea whether Zuko would want his uncle to know about them or not.

Iroh rushed over to them, his face alight with a giant smile. His eyes crinkled with joy as he looked at Zuko and pulled him into a mighty hug. The hostess gave them an astonished look before having the good sense to melt away and busy herself with the customers.

“You finally found me! And I see you have brought someone else with you, too.” Iroh turned his smile on Katara, dipping his head in a slight bow of greeting. “I have to say, I am surprised to find you with my nephew, Katara. But it is a welcome surprise! You are looking as well as ever.”

Katara blushed. “Oh, um, thanks. It’s nice to see you again… And you could say I’m a bit surprised to find myself with _Lee_ , too.”

Iroh laughed and guided them over to an empty table near the back of the restaurant. He motioned for one of the waiters to bring a round of tea as they sat down.

“I am sure there is quite the story behind that. And I can’t wait to hear it.”

“It’s nothing, Uncle. I just helped her out in the desert, and we were going in the same direction so we decided to go together.” Zuko said.

“I see,” said Iroh, clearly waiting for the rest of the story.

“He didn’t just help me out. He saved my life.” Katara said, resisting the urge to take Zuko’s hand. Touching him had become almost second nature during their travels—now it took conscious effort not to.

“Oh, is that so? Very interesting.” Iroh gave Zuko an appraising look.

“We don’t need to make a big deal out of it.” Zuko said.

“Does this mean, you have decided to give up your quest for the Avatar, Prince Zuko?” Iroh asked quietly, confident that no one would overhear them among the buzz of conversation within the shop.

Zuko felt their eyes on him. “I—” He wanted to give them the answer they both so obviously wanted, but he just wasn’t sure. “I don’t know.”

“Zuko…” Katara said.

He looked at her apologetically. “I thought it was my destiny to capture him. To regain my honor. And go back to the Fire Nation.”

Iroh nodded thoughtfully. “Is that your destiny? Or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?”

“Stop it, Uncle.”

“It sounds like you did the right thing when you helped Katara, nephew. It is time for you to look inward and begin asking yourself the big questions. Who are you, and what do _you_ want?”

Zuko glanced at Katara, then away from them both angrily.

The silence grew uncomfortable until Katara cleared her throat and asked, “So, um, how did you end up owning such a beautiful tea shop?”

“That is an excellent story. Everyone liked my tea so much in the Lower Ring, that I was offered this place to run as my own. Who would have thought when I came to this city as a refugee, that I’d end up owning my own tea shop?! Follow your passion, Zuko. And life will reward you.”

Despite his discomfort with his uncle’s earlier line of inquiry, Zuko couldn’t help but return Iroh’s contagious joy when he spoke of his tea shop.

“Congratulations Uncle. It truly is amazing.”

“I am very thankful.” Iroh said.

“You deserve it. And from the looks of it, the Jasmine Dragon is already the best tea shop in the city,” said Zuko.

“No. I am thankful because you have found me. And something is different about you than when we parted ways in the desert. You seem to be on your path to finding yourself, my nephew. The self you were always meant to be. That is why I am thankful. It means more than you know.”

Zuko got out of his chair and hugged Iroh. Katara felt a bit like an interloper, but at the same time she was so pleased to see this side of Zuko, and to hear how much his uncle thought of him and cared for him. With everything she knew about the rest of his family, it filled her with warmth to know that he had at least one person in his life who loved him so.

When Zuko settled back into his seat, Iroh turned back to Katara, “You must be eager to find your friends. That is why you have come to Ba Sing Se, is it not?”

“What? Do you know something? Have you seen them?” Katara’s eyes lit up and she leaned forward.

“Yes, they are here in the Upper Ring.”

Katara put a hand over her mouth and fought to keep tears of happiness from spilling from her eyes.

“How do you know?” Zuko asked.

“I knew they were here when I saw posters about a missing sky bison.”

“Appa!” Katara exclaimed. “Oh I hope they found him. Do you know?”

“I do know. I saved him.”

“ _What?!_ ” Katara and Zuko shouted at the same time. A few patrons from nearby tables glanced over at the commotion before turning back to their own conversations.

Iroh looked around to ensure no one was still listening to them, then lowered his voice until they could barely hear him. “This city is not all it seems. There is a hidden underground facility where the Dai Li—that is the secret police force here—‘re-educates’ undesirables. They hide many secrets there. Including the Avatar’s bison. When I saw the posters, I had an inkling of where he might be. I thought such a magnificent creature should not be held captive underground. And I thought, perhaps, the Avatar might have need of him.” Iroh’s eyes twinkled.

“Uncle! Why are you helping the Avatar?” Zuko hissed.

“Zuko!” Katara retorted. “I thought you were past this!”

Zuko said, “I am! I am. But still. That is a lot of risk for you to take for someone who _was_ our enemy.”

Iroh looked pointedly at Katara. “I could say the same to you, Prince Zuko.”

Zuko’s ears turned red. “That’s… different.”

Iroh looked at Zuko with a newfound interest, then glanced contemplatively at Katara. She got the feeling he could see right through them both, and then some. Blushing, she suddenly found the painting on the wall extremely fascinating. Iroh smiled thoughtfully.

Zuko continued, “What if you were found out? What if I came to the city to find no trace of you? What if you were killed?”

“Some things are worth the risk.” Iroh said. “And, look, here I am with my own tea shop!”

Katara took both of Iroh’s hands in hers and looked him in the eyes. “Thank you. Really, you don’t know how much Appa means to Aang. To all of us.”

“It was my pleasure.”

“You said my friends are here—do you know where they are staying? Can you tell me how to get there?”

“I can do you one better. I will take you there.” Iroh rose.

“What? Now?” Zuko demanded, sounding strained. He jumped to his feet.

“I see no reason why not,” said Iroh.

“Yes, oh thank you!” Katara bounded up and followed Iroh to the front of the tea shop.

As Iroh spoke with one of the staff to let them know that his nephew had arrived unexpectedly and he was leaving for the afternoon, Zuko came up next to Katara.

“I shouldn’t come. The last thing they need is to see me right now.” He felt despair washing over him.

_This is it, this is when I lose her._ It came so fast, he wasn’t prepared. He had thought he still had a few days, at least, before they’d find her friends in the huge city.

“You should come.” Katara said firmly. “You said yourself, you’re not our enemy anymore. You could… join us? If you don’t want to stay here with your uncle, of course.” Katara heart raced. She held her breath and waited for his response.

Zuko blinked. _She wants me to join them? To stay… with her. It would mean turning my back on my nation. On my own father. …But I could stay with her._

Before Zuko could gather his thoughts and reply, Iroh was back, ushering them out of the building. Katara wished they’d had just a few more seconds. _Would_ he consider joining them? It probably wasn’t something she should have brought up so lightly. She did notice, however, that he followed as Iroh led the way down the street.

As they walked, Zuko and Katara told Iroh more of the story of how they came to be traveling together, and some of the adventures with moose-lions and refugees they’d had since.

Eventually they came to a one-story house with a golden roof and a porch wrapping around the perimeter. The right half of the house looked like it was undergoing some serious repairs, with wooden beams holding up sections of the roof and a big grey tarp draped across the corner to keep the elements out. Katara wondered what had happened.

As they approached, Iroh said, “We are here.”

Katara took off at a run, leaping up the stairs and opening the door without even knocking. She couldn’t wait to hug Sokka and see Aang and Toph again. She could only imagine how worried they must have been.

The door pushed open to reveal an empty living room. There was no one there. Worse still, it didn’t look like anyone had been there for a while.

Katara fell to her knees, tears of bitter disappointment flowing freely. Zuko rushed to her side, wrapping his arms around her. He felt ashamed of his own feeling of relief. Katara buried her face into his shoulder.

Iroh did not fail to notice the ease with which Zuko held her, and the way she sought comfort from him.

Katara tried to wipe away her tears. “What will I do now?”

“You will stay with us, of course. Until your friends return,” Iroh said.

“What if they don’t?”

“Then we will find them. But I have a feeling their business here is not yet finished. I would not be surprised if they returned soon,” Iroh said knowingly.

* * *

They arrived at Iroh’s home. It was small (by Upper Ring standards) but lovingly decorated and well kept. The day was growing late, and Iroh bustled around humming happily while he made dinner for everyone. Katara tried to help, but Iroh refused, insisting that she was a guest and she had been through a great shock today, so she needn’t worry about a thing.

As they ate, Katara was struck with the strangeness of sharing a companionable meal with these two firebenders—Fire Nation royalty, even—and the fact that she felt so relaxed in their company. Soon, she was even laughing with them. When she had been their captive (which, when she thought about now, seemed crazy and so long ago), Iroh had always been kind to her. But she felt like she was getting to know him so much better now, and she was amazed by how much she genuinely liked him.

As the hour grew late, Iroh stretched and said, “I am going to bed. Prince Zuko, I have a room all set up for you already. Unfortunately, Katara, I did not expect your wonderful company and so I did not get anything ready for you. There is a rather comfortable mat in the living room. But I will leave it to you two to determine your sleeping arrangements… however you see fit.” His eyes twinkled and Katara thought for a split-second that she saw him wink.

“I’ll sleep in the living room.” Zuko blurted after Iroh, as he headed into his own bedroom.

“Of course, nephew. Whatever makes you most comfortable. I will be in my room, so it is no concern of mine where either of you chooses to sleep.” Iroh shut the panel door, leaving them alone.

Katara stifled a giggle as Zuko blushed furiously and put his hands over his face.

“Sounds like Uncle Iroh approves,” she whispered.

“That old man.”

“He just wants you to be happy. And anyway, there’s no point in you sleeping in the living room now, let’s go see your room!”

“Fine. But I’m laying the mat out in the living room, just in case.” Zuko said stubbornly.


	16. Chapter 16

_~~~S2 E20: The Crossroads of Destiny~~~_

The next morning, a messenger arrived to inform Iroh that he was to have the honor of serving tea to the Earth King that day, and that his newly arrived nephew was invited to join him.

Iroh was brimming with excitement as he made the preparations. Zuko agreed to go. He wasn’t really sure what the point of him being there would be, but he was unwilling to deflate his uncle’s happiness.

When they left, Katara moved through the house aimlessly. She wondered where her friends might have gone and tried to formulate some kind of plan to find them. But with Appa returned to them, they were going to be even harder to find than ever.

She was making herself a cup of tea in the kitchen when she thought she heard a faint thump in the living area. There was no way Iroh and Zuko would be back yet—they’d only just left. Months of being hunted—ironically, by the same people whose house she was now making herself at home in—and on the road made her hyperalert to the slightest indication of attack.

She told herself it was probably nothing, but still her heart raced as she bent the boiling water from the teapot and crept toward the living room. When she came around the corner to find an empty room, she let out a sigh of relief and shook herself, feeling silly. She swooshed the tea back into the pot.

The next second, she heard a thunderous crash from the window next to her and her hands were encased in earth-cuffs. Katara dashed for the front door but three Dai Li agents stepped in front of her, sending rock hands to hold her feet to the floor and stopping her in her tracks.

“What the hell?!” Katara snarled at the closest agent.

They said nothing. Katara fought them uselessly as they dragged her out of the house and threw her into a carriage that stood waiting in the street.

* * *

Katara found herself alone in a cavern deep underground, which was littered with crystals, some taller than she was, that gave off an eerie green glow. She paced while she tried to figure out how to escape.

She had no idea why the Dai Li had grabbed her in the first place. Was it to do with Zuko and Iroh? Or Aang? Or was it because she was a waterbender? Had they somehow found out that her passport was fake?

After what felt like forever, but surely couldn’t have been more than a few hours, she heard the scraping of rocks above her. A hole opened up to the sky and before she knew what was happening, Zuko was tumbling down to join her. The opening above them closed once more.

He landed in a heap on the hard ground.

“Zuko!” Katara ran to him, helping him to sit up and checking for serious wounds. When she didn’t find any, she kissed him soundly. “What happened?”

“My sister happened,” Zuko grumbled angrily, glaring at the ceiling.

“Azula?!”

“She’s here. She’s infiltrated the Earth King’s palace. She ambushed us.”

“What about Iroh? Is he okay?”

“He got away. I tried to fight her, but she had the Dai Li working for her.”

“The Dai Li picked me up at Iroh’s house. I hope he has the good sense not to go back there.”

“We have to get out of here,” Zuko said, his face set with determination.

“I’ve been trying for hours. I can’t find any way out. There’s not even any water anywhere.” She shook her head.

“With the both of us, we’ll figure something out,” he said confidently.

Katara was glad for the company, but it only amounted to the two of them pacing around and failing to find any viable solution to their predicament.

They still hadn’t made any progress after another hour, when there was a sudden huge crash in the cavern wall. Startled, they turned, ready to confront whatever was about to come through.

In a rush of rocks, Aang came bursting through the wall.

Katara’s face lit up with elation. Aang! Somehow, against all odds, Aang had found _her_ in the end.

“Aang!” she shouted. She dashed to him, throwing her arms around him and hugging him tightly.

Aang hugged her back fiercely, shooting Zuko a glower over her shoulder.

Zuko just had time to return the glare when Iroh rushed in and enfolded Zuko in a hug.

Ignoring Zuko entirely now, Aang grabbed Katara’s shoulders and held her in front of him. His expression was filled with joy and relief.

“I was so worried!” Aang said, his voice breaking from emotion. “We went back and looked for you in the desert, but we couldn’t find you anywhere! I thought—I didn’t know what to think. I just got Appa back recently and the Earth King needed our help, but as soon as we were done here, I was going to look for you everywhere. Oh Katara, I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re okay!”

“It’s okay, Aang. I’m okay. I missed you so much!” Katara said, tears in her eyes to match his.

“When I thought you might be—that we might not find you…” Aang trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. “I couldn’t bear it. Katara. I love you! I’m in love with you.”

Aang pulled her into a kiss, his hands pressing against the back of her head as he poured all of his passion and weeks of worry into it. Katara was completely taken off guard and for a moment stood frozen, motionless in shock, as he kissed her.

Zuko’s heart stopped. An intense stab of jealousy flushed him with scorching rage and made him shudder with cold terror at the same time. The world seemed to spin, and the kiss… it seemed to go on forever. _She isn’t pulling away. She’s kissing the Avatar RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME._ He felt like he was in physical pain. He couldn’t see straight.

His gut wrenched with a hard knot of anger that made his stomach churn. She was abandoning him. Just like that. He thought he’d been prepared for whatever was to come, but _this_? This was excruciating.

Just then, there was another crash from above, startling everyone. Crystal spikes leapt from the ground, forming around Iroh, Katara, and Aang, holding them each in place. Azula and the Dai Li slid down into the cave.

Zuko held his hands up at the ready.

Azula said calmly, “Fraternizing with the enemy. I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle, but Zuko. _Prince_ Zuko. You’re a lot of things, but you’re not a traitor. Are you?”

“Shut up Azula!” Katara shouted.

“Your betters are speaking, do be quiet.”

“Excuse me?!”

“Release them _immediately,_ ” Zuko commanded.

“It’s not too late for you, Zuko,” Azula entreated. “You can still redeem yourself.”

“The kind of redemption she offers is not for you,” Iroh said.

“Why don’t you let _him_ decide, Uncle?” said Azula.

“What are you waiting for? Help us, Zuko!” Katara said.

Azula continued, “I need you Zuko. I’ve plotted every move of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honor back. You will have father’s love. Look, we already have the Avatar. Not so hard to capture after all, was he? You will have everything you want.”

“That’s a lie!” Katara yelled. “Zuko, please. You can’t actually be considering this?”

Aang ignored them all, struggling with the crystals holding him and trying to bend without the use of his arms. He made a tiny crack along the base but could not yet get free.

Iroh implored, “Zuko, I am begging you. Look into your heart and see what it is that you truly want.” He caught Zuko’s eye and looked pointedly at Katara.

Zuko followed his uncle’s gaze, his eyes resting on Katara. His chest felt tight and his throat burned. Then he looked at the Avatar. A hot coal boiled in his belly. He could feel the blood rushing in his temples. The compulsion to lash out at the one who dared to kiss her. The need to regain his honor. Redemption. His father’s love. Everything he’d yearned for all these years of exile.

His face became hard and cold.

“Zuko.” Katara said again, beseeching him, tears in her eyes. _I love you,_ she thought. She knew that look, and it was not a good one. She whispered, “Please.”

Looking into her eyes, Zuko’s couldn’t help but soften. He wavered.

At that moment, Aang broke free of his crystal prison, shattering it and sending shards toward both Zuko and Azula.

Blocking the attack, Zuko’s fury reignited, erupting in a primal scream as he shot fireballs at Aang, over and over and over. The urge to strike this man—no, _boy_ —who was taking Katara away from him was too powerful. The allure of finally gaining a place at his father’s side was too strong.

Aang danced out of the way of the blasts and quickly earth-bent Katara free.

“Zuko, stop!” she screamed, but Zuko was beyond hearing anything as he vented his wrath at the Avatar.

Azula gave them a smug smirk and took a firebending stance.

“Come on, Katara,” Aang shouted, tugging Katara towards the passage where he and Iroh had broken into the cavern. 

Katara allowed herself to be pulled. As she went, she could see the rage in Zuko’s face as he continued to send fire after them. Her heart shattered into countless tiny fragments.

But there was no time for that now.

Aang and Katara ran through the next section of the cave system, an enormous cavern with more green crystals, what looked like crumbling dwellings from some long-ago civilization, and human-made waterways running in straight lines through it.

_At least there is water to bend,_ Katara thought miserably.

“Where are Sokka and Toph?” Katara asked as they sprinted.

“They went to help the Earth King. We have to find them!” Aang replied.

They had not gotten far into the cavern when a blast of blue fire flared behind them. Aang turned, rapidly bending the earth in front of them like a shield.

Azula stood in the wake of the fire. Katara felt so angry with this horrible person, who could somehow worm her way into Zuko’s head, despite everything. She rushed toward the fire princess, pulling a wave of water as she went and crashing it toward Azula.

Azula created a huge explosion that vaporized the water in a cloud of steam. Then she was running up the wall, shooting blue fire at them. Katara and Aang worked together to create a shield from the water, just in time to stop the blasts.

Aang earth-bent the outcropping Azula stood on, causing her to plunge to the ground between Aang and Katara. She landed on her feet and held her fingers out in either direction, daring either of them to make a move.

A tense micro-second passed.

Orange fire burst toward Aang and when the smoke cleared, Zuko stood facing them in a fighting posture. Zuko and Azula looked at each other.

“Zuko!” Katara shouted, still not willing to believe what was happening. Trying to make him see reason before he did something he couldn’t take back. “Come with me!”

Zuko took one look at her and the hurt and rage rose again, roiling in his stomach. _How could she? I was nothing to her. Just a passing diversion. Until she could get back to her precious Avatar._

All he wanted was to smash his fist into the Avatar’s stupid mouth.

Zuko channeled all of his anger into his fire, throwing a wall of flame at Aang. Aang only just managed to jump away and dispel it with air.

Azula rounded on Katara, shooting streams of blue fire to match Katara’s water as Katara deflected again and again.

Zuko released firebolt after firebolt at Aang, relentless and unremitting. Aang wove and dodged around the entire cavern, using his airbending to dispel the fire and propel him out of the way of the blasts. The two were locked in mortal conflict. 

Aang found himself perched on some crystals near the ceiling when Zuko willed a continuous stream of flame from his hands, making massive fire whips. He cracked them at Aang, breaking the crystals and sending Aang flying. Aang was on the defense—it was all he could do to avoid Zuko’s ferocity.

Finally Zuko agitated the cavern enough that a huge cone of stone fell from the ceiling. Aang rode it down, pushing it into the ground with all the force of his bending and causing a shockwave to ripple out through the rocks. Zuko was knocked back.

Katara coated herself with water, creating huge squid-arms that she lashed out at Azula. Azula’s returning blast of fire was annihilated by Katara’s water, and Katara encased Azula’s arm in water, making it impossible for her to bend with it. Azula answered by kicking flame at Katara, but Katara was ready for it and surrounded Azula’s leg with water as well. She lifted Azula into the air, preparing to smash her into the ground, when Zuko jumped toward them, unleashing a wave of fire that broke Katara’s water tendrils.

It was the move he had learned to do in their sparring sessions. Katara felt a surge of anger, heartache, and despair but she pushed it away for now.

Azula, now free, sneered.

Aang climbed out of the hole he’d made in the ground, his strength clearly flagging.

Katara re-formed her water whips and slammed them toward Zuko, who was across the waterway from her. Zuko answered with fire whips, growing larger and larger with each swish.

“I thought you had changed!” she cried.

Fire and water came together again in a furious clash.

“I have changed. Thanks for reminding me of my place.”

“What are you talking about? I cared about you!”

“So you say,” Zuko said coldly.

Meanwhile, Azula turned on the weakened Aang. Using her fire to propel herself toward him, she dashed at him. Aang bent the crystals around him and encased himself in them, then rushed toward her, pushing himself forward with the force of air.

Just before they collided, Azula released a torrent of fire that shattered Aang’s protective crystal armor and knocked him across the cavern, into the side of one of the old stone dwellings.

With Aang out of the fight for the moment, Azula joined Zuko against Katara. Zuko hadn’t been aiming to injure her, but Azula held nothing back. An inferno coming at her from all sides, Katara’s water could only block so much before she was knocked backward into a cluster of crystals by one of Azula’s blue blasts.

“Ughh,” she groaned as she lost consciousness briefly.

Azula lifted her hand to shoot another blast and finish off the waterbender but Zuko held out his hand to stop her.

“No! Leave her. She’s…” He clenched his jaw. “Not worth the effort.”

“Whatever you say, brother,” Azula drawled nonchalantly.

A crash came from where Aang had fallen. Zuko and Azula turned as Aang came barreling toward them on a churning ball of stone.

Before he reached them, the Dai Li showed up. A Dai Li agent jumped in front of Aang and flung him off. Aang skidded to a stop on the ground, leaving a fissure behind where he slid.

Aang and Katara both pushed themselves upright, dazed, as the entire Dai Li army swarmed around them. Katara leapt to her feet and pulled water around her as rows of Dai Li agents surrounded her on every side. She created a ring of tendrils, ready to defend or attack as needed.

Aang stood to face the Fire Nation prince and princess. Zuko trembled with barely controlled fury. Beside him, Azula only smiled.

Aang looked at Katara, besieged by enemies and grimaced. “I’m sorry Katara,” he said softly, turning away.

Zuko glanced at Katara as well, then back to Aang. It enraged him even further that this airbender had the woman that Zuko wanted, said the words that Zuko hadn’t been able to say, and the pathetic fool wasn’t even going to protect her. He vowed to make the little monk pay—for everything.

Aang forged a dome of crystals around him and settled down to meditate. The situation was dire. It was time to enter the Avatar state.

A glow came from within the crystals and light shot out in a wide ring. Aang floated high above them all, his eyes and tattoos alight with the telltale white radiance of the Avatar state. Everyone cowered, waiting for the first blow to fall.

Everyone except Azula. Lightning crackled through the air, striking Aang dead-on, in the center of his spine. The light in his eyes flickered, then went out.

Katara watched in horror as he plummeted. Tears unnoticed spilled from her eyes. She fueled her waterbending with the agony in her heart, creating a massive tidal wave that washed over the Dai Li agents and carried her to Aang. When the water drained away, she was left holding his limp body in her arms.

Zuko and Azula came toward her.

“How _could_ you?” she whispered to Zuko, betrayal permeating her every feature.

Fire flashed in front of the two royal firebenders, cutting them off from Katara and Aang. Iroh leapt in between them, prepared to battle his niece and nephew.

Over his shoulder, Iroh said to Katara, “You’ve got to get out of here! I’ll hold them off as long as I can.”

With expert precision, he began to firebend at Zuko, Azula, and the entire Dai Li army.

Draping Aang’s arm over her shoulder, Katara dragged him away from the scene as fast as she could. Rocks flew at Iroh as he defended their retreat.

Katara made her way to a huge waterfall at the back of the cavern, which opened to the outside. She created a funnel of water to wrap around her and Aang, and lifted them out of the cave.

When they had escaped, Iroh allowed himself to be captured. Zuko looked at him with an unreadable expression. Iroh held his stare with his own disappointed gaze, until Zuko finally looked away.

* * *

It was a sorrowful reunion with Sokka and Toph. As they all fled the city on Appa, Katara took out her vial of spirit water from the sacred pool in the North Pole. It was supposed to have special healing powers. It was her only hope of reviving Aang.

His body was already going cold.

Hugging Aang to her and weeping, Katara poured everything she had into her healing ability. It had to work. It _had_ to. Not only was the Avatar their only hope against the Fire Nation, but she couldn’t lose her friend. She couldn’t bear it.

She held her breath. The moments went by in slow motion, the wait agonizing. Finally, Aang groaned.

Katara gasped, smiling through her tears as Aang opened his eyes and looked at her hazily. Registering her face, he smiled. Katara’s mouth wobbled as she smiled wider, more tears flowing. She hugged him again, and this time he hugged her back.

* * *

Zuko stood at Azula’s side as she lounged on the Earth King’s throne, presiding over an empty court.

“We’ve done it, Zuko. It’s taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has conquered Ba Sing Se.”

Zuko’s eyes looked hollow. With the heat of battle behind them, his rage had ebbed, leaving behind only a pervading feeling of disquiet.

“I betrayed Uncle.” _I betrayed Katara. My beautiful, strong, kind-hearted waterbender. The look on her face. How could I have done that to her?_

“No, _he_ betrayed _you_ ,” Azula said.

Zuko furrowed his brow. Katara certainly _had_ betrayed him. _Kissing the Avatar right in front of me. After everything. How COULD she? And Uncle. Did Uncle betray me too?_

Azula continued, “Zuko, when you return home, father will welcome you as a war hero.”

“But I don’t have the Avatar. What if father doesn’t restore my honor?” His honor was all he had left, now. He had to have it back. It was the only thing that would make any of this worth it.

Azula placed a hand on his shoulder in her best attempt to be reassuring. “He doesn’t need to, Zuko. Today, _you_ restored your own honor.”

He willed himself to believe Azula. But he couldn’t help but feel like today he’d relinquished something irretrievable. Not restored his honor, but betrayed it. He was about to get everything he had ever wanted, so why did it feel like he’d lost it all?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is a super rough turn of events. A few commenters mentioned they’d stop reading if this happened. Obviously, bottom line: you do you. If you really want to stop reading then that’s your choice (Again, obviously. It’s not like I can stop you haha :P ).
> 
> But I wanted to mention a few things that hopefully can keep you going:
> 
>   1. I tagged this story with Happy Ending for a reason. If you stop here, you’ll be stopping at the most unhappy part of the story, which would be kind of a bummer.
>   2. There is a lot of good stuff to come, including some of my favorite parts of the fic.
>   3. I honestly believe that this moment and what follows with Zuko in the Fire Nation is so absolutely crucial to Zuko’s character development that he wouldn’t be the Zuko we know and love without it. In my opinion he _has_ to make this mistake and grapple with the consequences to grow into the person he becomes. He has to get what he thought he wanted to realize he doesn’t want it. He has to have these experiences to work though his sense of right and wrong. Also, his choice to help the Gaang means way more when he has to give up everything in order to do what he thinks is right, instead of just kind of falling in with them because he got banished and it was the path of least resistance. In my opinion, the strength of his character and his resolve to do the right thing later in the story would not have the same weight without this moment, this failure. And, this route means his choice later is much harder and therefore that much more admirable.  
>    
>  I wanted to do the best I could by these characters.   
>    
>  Also on the character development note, I didn’t want this to be a story where “the love of a good woman” turns him to the good side. I think that does a disservice to his character growth and to their relationship. He has to do it himself. For himself… not for Katara or anyone else.
> Anyway, I love all you readers and I hope you stick with it :) . There’s angst coming, yes, but also lots more happy stuff too.



	17. Chapter 17

_~~~Book 3 Begins~~~_

Aang lay in bed, unconscious. No one knew when he would awaken. They were on a stolen Fire Nation ship with Katara and Sokka’s father, Hakoda, and the other Southern Water Tribe men.

Katara was listless. She spent entire days in bed, sobbing, and no one could figure out why. They were pretty sure Aang was going to be okay, after all. Katara refused to speak to anyone, only leaving her room to conduct regular healing sessions for Aang, before returning to her solitude.

She felt broken.

And she couldn’t tell any of them what was really wrong. How could she? _Oh, thanks for the tea Sokka and Dad, and by the way, you’ve been asking why I’m crying so I’ll tell you—I went and fell in love with the prince of the Fire Nation. You know, the assholes that murdered Mom? The psychopaths that almost killed Aang? The jerk that’s been hunting us for half a year? Yeah, that fire prince. Well anyway, he fucked me and then ripped my heart out, no big deal._

Her heart ached. It felt raw. Ruptured. It felt like it was being squeezed, choked, and it only grew worse day by day. She couldn’t eat. She only slept when she finally exhausted herself from weeping. She wanted to curl up in a ball and forget. She felt like the biggest idiot in the entire world.

_I trusted him. I TRUSTED him. I loved him. Fuck, I fucking LOVED him, for spirit’s sake. How COULD he? Was it all an act? Was he just with me so he could get close to Aang? So we’d let down our guard? Spirits, Katara, you are the absolute dumbest person to ever live._

_He betrayed me. He was so unspeakably terrible. I should hate him. I DO hate him. He made me think he cared about me, then he stabbed me in the back. So why do I miss him? Why do I wake up in the morning expecting to find him there? Why does my heart feel like it will never stop hurting?_

Weeks passed and Katara only felt emptier and emptier. She relived the moments with Zuko in her mind, combing her memory for some small sign, any sign, that he was pretending. That he was planning to betray her. He’d always been evasive whenever she brought up his allegiances. Why didn’t she pay more attention to it? Why did she convince herself that he was just conflicted and confused? She’d been so confident that deep down, he was coming around. Was she really so blind?

Or, was his betrayal a spur-of-the-moment decision? She went over the events in the cave, almost obsessively. Tried to remember the exact sequence of events. What everyone had said. When exactly Zuko had turned. She remembered seeing Aang, throwing her arms around him in joy. Then, he’d confessed his love, and grabbed her and kissed her. It had been so sudden. She felt a twinge of anger at the memory. She’d never gotten the chance to push him off before Azula arrived.

But surely that couldn’t have been enough to make Zuko betray her. He couldn’t possibly doubt her feelings for him, not after the month they’d spent together. He had to have seen how one-sided that kiss was…

It didn’t matter. He didn’t care—he’d made that agonizingly clear. It must have been Azula’s cloying promises. She knew exactly what to say to him, exactly which buttons to push.

Katara dissected her memories again and again. She felt like she was going crazy. Maybe she was.

* * *

_~~~S3 E1: The Awakening~~~_

Zuko was on a ship home. He stood on the deck in the middle of the night staring at the full moon. Being on the ship’s deck reminded him of Katara. The moon reminded him of Katara. Everything reminded him of Katara.

He loved her, of course. He’d realized it back when he’d still had the chance to tell her, but he hadn’t been able to. He had been so afraid of being rejected and humiliated; he knew exactly what that felt like and it wasn’t something he was ready to put himself through. When it came down to it, he was afraid of being hurt by someone he loved, again.

The irony was excruciating.

_Would anything have been different if I’d told her?_

“Aren’t you cold?” Mai asked, appearing from behind him. She had always had a thing for him, even when they were kids. Now she seemed pleased—or at least, as pleased as it seemed she was capable of being—that he was back in the Fire Nation’s good graces, back on his way to the capital.

“I’ve got a lot on my mind,” he said in the understatement of the century. He couldn’t get Katara out of his mind. All he could see was her kissing the Avatar. It was seared into his brain and it tortured him constantly. Sometimes he wished he’d never met her. Most times he wanted her back so badly that it hurt. Never had he wanted a woman the way he wanted Katara. Never had he cared about anyone the way he cared about Katara. He loved her and couldn’t bear the thought of her with someone else. He couldn’t help but envision her with the Avatar. That scrawny 16-year-old kissing her. Touching her. Loving her.

To care so deeply and get burned for it. It was the story of his life.

And yet, he couldn’t help but feel guilty when he thought of the Avatar dead in Katara’s arms. Was he truly gone? Zuko wasn’t sure whether he wanted that to be the case or not.

He also thought about his uncle often. What would happen to Iroh when they got back to the Fire Nation? And what was waiting in store for Zuko himself? How would his father react? Would he be welcomed home as a war hero, as Azula assured him? Would he get his honor back?

Would it make him feel whole again?

Zuko continued, “It’s been so long. Over five years since I was home. I wonder what’s changed. I wonder how I’ve changed.”

Mai yawned. “I just asked if you were cold. I didn’t ask for your whole life story.” Smiling, she came up behind him and draped her arm over his shoulder. With a warm palm against his cheek, she turned his face to hers. “I’ve always liked you, Zuko. More than liked you.”

“I know,” Zuko replied. “I’ve always—cared—for you too.”

He liked Mai, truly. But he didn’t _want_ her. And his feelings, well, they were with someone else. Or perhaps simply dead. Perhaps Katara had killed his ability to feel along with breaking his heart.

“Then stop worrying and kiss me instead.” Mai tilted Zuko’s face, pressing her lips to his. Zuko’s first instinct was to pull away. He didn’t really want to kiss Mai, after all. But then…

_If Katara can kiss whoever she wants, so can I,_ he thought bitterly. He kissed Mai back.

Mai broke the kiss with a smile. “I hope there will be more of that.”

“Sure,” Zuko replied hollowly. He felt a heaviness descend upon him.

When Mai strode away, Zuko was left staring at the moon.

* * *

It had been over a month and the emptiness in Katara’s heart had begun to turn to anger. While she didn’t enjoy the burning hot pit of rage in her belly, it was better than feeling nothing at all. And it fueled her to get out of bed.

She was on the deck of the ship looking out at the sea with Toph when Aang stumbled into the night, awake for the first time since he’d hugged her on Appa’s back right after she’d healed him. Everyone crowded around Aang, thrilled to see him up and about. Katara wanted to feel happy— _was_ happy—but even the joy of seeing Aang awake couldn’t seem to penetrate the darkness that had invaded her heart.

He was still weak from his injuries. After a quick reunion with everyone and a barrage of questions about why they were on a Fire Nation ship and what had happened since he’d been knocked out, Aang’s limited strength waned.

Katara went with him for another healing session. The starburst scar on his back pulsed with energy as she concentrated on mending it. She was almost done when Aang’s body went completely tense. He was reliving the vivid memory of the day of his injury.

When he came to, he said, “I went down! I didn’t just get hurt, did I? It was worse than that. I was gone… but you brought me back.”

Aang turned to face Katara, adoration suffusing his features.

Katara felt uncomfortable under his gaze. “I just used the spirit water from the North Pole. I don’t know what I did, exactly.”

“You saved me,” he said, reaching for her.

Katara allowed him to cup her cheek in his hand.

“I did everything I could.”

“Katara. I can remember everything now. I _remember_. I told you. I told you I love you. I love you so much.” Aang moved to kiss her.

Katara’s heart lurched. She withdrew shakily as he leaned in.

She said, “You need to rest.”

Aang looked crestfallen.

“I’ll send someone to help you back to your room,” Katara said, feeling a rush of emotion wash over her and wanting only to be back in her own room where no one could see.

“You could take me,” Aang said hopefully.

“I—” Her need to be alone was battled with her nurturing nature. She crumpled. “Okay, sure Aang. Let’s get you back to bed, okay?”

Katara held back her tears until she settled Aang comfortably in his room. In the hallway outside his door, she sank against the wall and slid to the floor, her body no longer willing to support her. She covered her mouth to contain her hitching sobs so he wouldn’t hear her.

To hear _I love you_ from Aang, knowing she would never hear it from Zuko, was simply too much. When Aang tried to kiss her, she knew without a doubt that she only wanted Zuko. But he’d been so cold. He’d betrayed her. Possibly even deceived her. He didn’t care about her.

Her heart felt like it was being punctured by a million tiny venomous pins. And the poison was polluting her blood, strangling her organs, leaving her gasping for air.

* * *

_~~~S3 E2: The Headband to S3 E3: The Painted Lady~~~_

Zuko was welcomed back to the Fire Nation with open arms and the cheers of the people. His honor was restored. His father accepted him. He fell into a relationship with Mai, a daughter of Fire Nation nobility—a proper relationship for the fire prince. Being with her only made him ache for Katara all the more.

He did what was expected of him. He was the crown prince of the most prosperous nation in the world.

But his heart was heavy. He had everything he’d always wanted but it wasn’t at all how he thought it would be.

He sought out his uncle in the prisons for advice, but Iroh wouldn’t even look at him.

Zuko pushed away his guilt and uncertainty. He told himself that he’d just done what he had to do.

Everyone believed the Avatar was dead, and, thanks to Azula’s lies, they believed Zuko had killed him. But he wasn’t so sure—he knew Katara had impressive healing abilities and a vial of spirit water that she wore tucked under her clothes.

The thought that the Avatar might still be alive kept him up at night. Azula had set Zuko up to take the fall if the Avatar wasn’t dead, and he lived in fear that his father would cast him out again. But beyond that, if the Avatar lived, it meant _he_ got to be with Katara. Touch her and share her bed. Make her laugh. The thought was like a cold vice around his heart.

One evening, he decided to do something about it. Before he could second-guess himself, he hired an elite assassin to find and end the Avatar, should he still live.

He thought that would make him feel better, but the nightmares never stopped.

* * *

Katara dedicated herself to their mission—infiltrate the Fire Nation and prepare for the invasion on the day of the eclipse. Her heart did not heal, but she told herself that there were more important things than one woman’s broken heart. There were people who needed her, and she wasn’t going to abandon them.

In the coming weeks she thought of little else. She supported Aang in every way she knew how. She even danced with him at the secret party he’d arranged for some of the Fire Nation youth. She tried to forget Zuko, tried to convince herself that maybe she could love again. Maybe she could even find it within herself to love Aang, who clearly loved her so deeply. But at the end of the night, her heart only hurt more.

When they discovered a fishing village that was sick and polluted, she didn’t even think twice about taking on the persona of the Painted Lady and doing everything she could to aid them—even putting herself in harm’s way. It didn’t matter to her anymore, as long as she could help others.

* * *

_~~~S3 E5: The Beach~~~_

Zuko lived his life as the Fire Nation’s prince. He spent time with Azula, Ty Lee, and of course, Mai.

But every day, his misgivings grew. He felt an aimless anger rising, a familiar bubbling and roiling ire that began in the pit of his stomach and swelled into his chest.

It wasn’t until the night at the beach, around the fire with Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai, that he had a few drinks too many and he realized that the person he was angry with was himself. He hadn’t even known it until that moment, but as soon as the words were out, he knew them to be true.

For as long as he could remember, he thought that if his father accepted him, he’d be happy. But now he was home, his father spoke to him and even thought he was a hero. It should have been perfect. He should have been happy.

But he wasn’t. He was angry at himself, and more confused and disillusioned than ever. He regretted sending the assassin after the Avatar. And turning his back on his uncle. And betraying Katara—no matter who she kissed or what she did, he was starting to seriously rethink his actions that day.

The worst of it was that he wasn’t even sure he knew the difference between right and wrong anymore.

* * *

_~~~S3 E7: The Runaway to S3 E8: The Puppetmaster~~~_

When Katara’s friends—especially Toph—began to complain that she was too nurturing, too motherly, the criticism felt like another jab through her heart. Nurturing others had become her entire purpose. It distracted her from the despair and anger that threatened to overwhelm her in the quiet hours of the night, when she was alone with only the memory of warm arms around her.

But when she overheard Toph and Sokka talking about her strength and compassion, how she had always been there for them, and how it made them feel, it filled her with a renewed resolve. No matter how broken and betrayed she felt inside, she could still be there for others. She could still make a difference and make the world a better place.

Then she learned how to bloodbend; she was horrified. To have the capacity within her for such a violent, monstrous kind of bending made her wonder if the pain and anger that had overtaken her heart was somehow to blame.

* * *

_~~~S3 E9: Nightmares and Daydreams~~~_

Sitting at his father’s right-hand side at a war meeting was what Zuko had always wanted. It was the ultimate sign of his father’s acceptance. But when he got it, it felt wrong. Since he’d returned home, he’d been acting like the perfect prince, the son his father always wanted… but that person wasn’t really him.

As the Fire Nation generals callously spoke of the destruction they planned to wreak on the Earth Kingdom, a place where Zuko had gotten to know many of the commoners during his travels, he was struck with the realization that he didn’t agree with what the Fire Nation was doing. He didn’t agree with what his _father_ was doing.

He felt a strange sense of clarity sweep over him. He knew what he needed to do. He finally understood his destiny. The destiny that he needed to make for himself.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, Zuko here :)

_~~~S3 E12: The Western Air Temple~~~_

The attack on the Fire Nation had failed, miserably. Hakoda was captured, along with most of the rest of their allies. Katara and the others retreated to the Western Air Temple to regroup and figure out what to do next.

Zuko followed them in a stolen Fire Nation air balloon, having finally confronted and denounced his father on the day of the eclipse. It was terrifying and intense… and incredibly liberating. He’d also left a note for Mai, breaking off their “relationship,” if it could be called that—he had only been going through the motions and she deserved better. It felt like a clean break from the Fire Nation and all of the expectations that had weighed him down his whole life. He finally knew what his path needed to be, had finally started listening to what was truly in his heart. Finally allowed himself to be _himself_ , not the prince and son he was expected to be.

But he was filled with anxiety at the thought of what would happen when he caught up with the Avatar and his group—and Katara. He needed to help the Avatar take down his father and restore balance to the world. To save the world from the Fire Nation’s tyranny. He knew that now. And as far as he was aware of, the Avatar still needed a firebending teacher. However, the last time he’d seen the Avatar, he’d tried to kill him in a white-hot rage. When he thought of it now, he felt ashamed.

It would not be easy to win their trust.

And then there was the matter of Katara. He would need to accept that Katara most likely loathed him for betraying her. And that she loved the Avatar. Each time he thought of it, he felt a new rush of anguish. But he had to be prepared. He had to try come to terms with it.

_She has the right to choose anyone she wants, and she made her choice. And can I blame either of them? Of course the Avatar loves Katara, who wouldn’t? And Katara could have her pick of anyone—why would I ever think she would choose me?_

Sure, he and Katara had fallen together during their travels and it had ignited his soul. But they had never actually discussed what they were to each other. As hurt as he felt when she kissed the Avatar in front of him, he realized now that he’d never really had any claim on her in the first place. He’d never even told her how he really felt.

He was determined to help the Avatar even though Aang was the person who had the woman Zuko loved. He fully expected that he would have to watch them be together, endure it as the airbender kissed her or put his hands on her in casual affection. He knew that every single day he’d have to swallow his feelings. It would be the most painful thing he’d ever done—even harder than confronting his cruel and ruthless father—but he was ready to embrace his chosen destiny. He finally knew what was right and he was filled with conviction to do it, whatever the cost to him personally.

He didn’t think he could ever apologize enough to Katara for what he’d done—betraying her trust, flying into a jealous fury, choosing his false “honor” above all else—but he had to at least try. Perhaps they could even be friends, eventually. It was the most he could hope for. He knew he would always want her, always love her, but that would be his burden to bear.

And so, he found himself in the forest alone, practicing what he would say to Katara and the Avatar and feeling more and more hopeless with every rehearsal. Even the badger-frog he was talking to seemed unimpressed.

“Hello, Zuko here. But I guess you probably already know me. Sort of. Uhh. Hi, Katara. It’s great to see you, again.” Zuko paused. _No, no, don’t remind her, that’s not going to get you off on the right foot with anyone. And who knows what she’s told the Avatar about us—don’t give him any more reasons to hate you. Okay, keep going._

“So. The thing is, I have a lot of firebending experience, and I’m considered to be pretty good at it. Well, you’ve seen me. You know, when I was attacking you. Uh. Yeah, I guess I should apologize for that. But anyway, I’m good now. I mean, I thought I was good before, but now I realize I was bad. Buuuut anyway… I think it’s time I joined your group and taught the Avatar firebending.”

The badger-frog gave him a judgmental croak.

“Well? What’s your answer?!”

The creature croaked again and vaulted off his head.

* * *

Katara jumped off Appa’s back, along with Aang, Sokka, and Toph, onto a huge stone balcony that opened to the wide vista of the Western Air Temple. They had just returned from a session of flying through the temple. Aang seemed determined to spend his time playing around, instead of strategizing.

“Oh, and you’re going to love the all-day echo chamber,” Aang said, finishing a long monologue about all of the parts of the temple that he wanted to show them.

Toph replied, “I think that’ll have to wait.” She pointed behind them.

Katara turned to see what it was. Appa moved aside to reveal, standing behind them near the edge of the platform, _Zuko_.

Katara felt like the ground dropped out from under her feet. Her vision blanked. She didn’t know how much time passed—it felt like an eternity, but no one else seemed to notice anything, so it couldn’t have been more than a moment. She wanted to throw up. _What is_ he _doing here? I’ll kill him._ Anger flared in her chest.

When she came back to her senses, she was amazed to find that she was still on her feet. She glowered at Zuko.

Aang, Sokka, and Toph were also taken by surprise. Aang and Sokka turned suspicious glares upon the intruder.

Although he’d thought he was prepared, Zuko found he wasn’t ready for the pang he felt at seeing the Avatar again. The memory of Aang and Katara in the cavern hit him like a punch. But the anger had drained away—leaving behind a deep, wrenching ache. He tried to push it aside; he couldn’t let it affect his mission.

His eyes were drawn to Katara, he couldn’t help it. He swallowed heavily. She was beautiful as ever, even as she set the most malicious look upon him that he’d ever seen on her face. Unbidden, thoughts of kissing her all over and hearing her moan his name came into his head. Memories of her eyes dancing with amusement and face lighting up with happiness as she teased him. Those memories, contrasted with the look of hatred she was giving him now, made his heart feel like it was being crushed all over again. He fought the urge to get on his knees and beg for her forgiveness.

_It’s fine, totally fine, I knew this was coming. I just need to convince them. Okay, just like I practiced. But, um, better._

Zuko put on a smile and tried to make his voice sound cheerful. “Hello, Zuko here.” He raised his hand in an oddly stationary wave.

The entire group immediately assumed battle stances.

Zuko bravely soldiered on. “Hey. I heard you guys flying around down there, so I just thought I’d wait for you here.”

Appa’s giant face loomed next to Zuko. _That thing could eat me in one bite,_ he thought nervously as the sky bison roared at him. Then, Appa licked him. Maybe the animal could sense his good intentions?

Aang’s expression morphed into a look of disbelief.

Zuko continued, “I know you must be surprised to see me here.”

Sokka said, “Not really, since you followed us all over the world.”

“Rrrright. Well, uh.” Zuko closed his eyes. His voice sounded hesitant as he went on, “Anyway, what I wanted to tell you, about, is that I’ve changed. And I, uh, I’m good now. And, well I think I should join your group. Oh, and I can teach firebending. To you.” He met Aang’s eyes.

Katara began to shake with anger as he spoke. _How dare he? How dare he come back now, and look us in the eye and claim to be on our side! Now! After everything. After he shattered my heart and attacked Aang, after I begged him not to, after he used me and made me fall in… No. How fucking dare he._

“See, I, uh,” Zuko went on.

Toph interrupted. “You wanna _what now_?”

Katara’s wrath boiled over. “You can’t possibly think that any of us would trust you, can you? I mean, how stupid do you think we are?!”

Sokka said, “Yeah, all you’ve ever done is try to hunt us down and capture Aang.”

Zuko tried to think on his feet. “I’ve done some good things. I mean, Katara, I saved your life in the desert, didn’t I?

Her voice became low with barely controlled rage. “Don’t you dare bring that up! Don’t you fucking mention it, not now. Not ever.”

Aang looked to Katara in surprise. “What? Zuko saved your life? Katara, why didn’t you tell us?”

Zuko’s heart sank. “You didn’t tell them?”

“Why would I?!” she spat. “And it didn’t matter anyway, did it? You were still just another monster from the Fire Nation in the end. Get out of here.”

“I get it. I know. I am so, so sorry, Katara.”

“Don’t you say that to me.” Her voice faltered as she struggled to contain her emotions.

Aang looked at Katara with concern at the sound of her voice. What had happened between her and Zuko? And why hadn’t she told anyone about it?

“I understand why you don’t trust me.” Zuko looked at the rest of the group. “All of you. I’ve… made some mistakes in the past.”

Sokka said angrily, “Like when you attacked our village?”

Her voice coated with venom, Katara broke in, “Or when you stole my mother’s necklace and kidnapped me to use as bait?”

“I gave it back,” Zuko said quietly.

“Argh!” Katara threw up her arms, wanting nothing more than to hurt him. She’d told herself she wouldn’t use bloodbending ever again, but he was testing her resolve. It was a good thing it wasn’t a full moon. “Or when you and your evil sister KILLED Aang in Ba Sing Se? After making me think—making me think you had changed! What’s your excuse for that?!”

Zuko felt a flush of shame. “I admit I’ve done some awful things. I was wrong. Wrong to betray you, Katara.”

“Shut up!” she snapped. She didn’t want to hear it. It was too little, too late.

Zuko flinched but tried to keep going, “And I was wrong to try to capture the Avatar. And I’m sorry that I attacked the Water Tribe. And I never should have sent that Fire Nation assassin after you. I’m going to try to stop—”

Angry recognition crossed Sokka’s face. “Wait! _You_ sent Combustion Man after us?!”

Zuko said, “Well that’s not his name, but—"

Sokka interrupted, “Oh, sorry! I didn’t mean to insult your friend.”

“He’s not my friend!”

Toph said, “That guy locked me and Katara in jail and tried to blow us all up!”

Zuko blinked sadly. _This is not going well. How can I salvage this? I need to salvage this. Spirits, she hates me even more than I expected. I have to appeal to them._

Zuko looked at Aang. “Why aren’t you saying anything? You once said you thought we could be friends.” He turned back to Katara, imploring, “You know I have good in me.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Katara said icily.

Aang looked at Sokka, who shook his head.

Aang said, “There’s no way we can trust you after everything you’ve done. We’ll never let you join us.”

Zuko felt all of his plans come crashing down around him. They really did think he was just a monster, after all. If he wouldn’t be allowed to help them, what good was he to anyone? How could he ever make up for all of his wrongs? And the sharp sting of Katara’s fury pierced him to the bone.

Katara was at her breaking point. “I thought I told you to get out of here, now.”

“I’m trying to explain that I’m not that person anymore!” Zuko pleaded.

Sokka brandished his boomerang. “Either you leave or we attack.”

Zuko felt desperate. He had to do something, and fast. He had to convince them to take him with them.

“If you won’t accept me as a friend, then maybe you’ll take me as a prisoner.” Zuko dropped to his knees and offered his hands in the air to be bound.

Katara couldn’t stand to look at him for a moment longer. He’d hurt her too deeply. _He says he’s changed? Ha. I know better. I won’t be falling for that again._ His humble, penitent act only made her angrier.

Her rage exploded. “No, we won’t!” Calling water from her waterskin, she bent a torrent at him with as much force as she could manage. It felt good to have an outlet for her pain.

The water hit Zuko, hard, stinging his face like a slap and washing him backwards, closer to the balcony’s edge.

Katara shouted, her voice nearly breaking, “Get out of here and don’t come back! And if we ever see you again… well, we’d better not see you again!”

Zuko met her eyes, which were full of fury and gave no quarter. He knew he would not be able to convince her—or any of them.

Soaking wet, he picked himself up off the ground and walked away, his head hung in miserable dejection.

Katara watched him go and she wanted to scream. Before any of the others could say anything, she stormed away, holding back her wracking sobs until she was certain she was alone.

* * *

Later in the evening, Katara returned to find the others discussing the strange turn of events.

“I still can’t understand why he would do that,” Aang was saying as Katara walked back toward the group.

“Obviously he wants to lead us into some kind of trap,” Sokka said, before seeing her. “Oh, hi Katara.”

“Where’d you go?” Toph demanded.

“Just for a walk,” she said evasively, hoping that her eyes didn’t look too swollen. It was close enough to the truth, maybe Toph wouldn’t be able to tell she was hiding something. “And I agree it’s a trap. This is just like… before. In Ba Sing Se. He makes it seem like he’s an actual human being with feelings—”

“He wants you to trust him and feel sorry for him, so you let you guard down. Then he strikes!” Sokka agreed.

“The thing is, it worked. I did think he had, ah, feelings. You know, like actual _human_ feelings, I mean. I felt like he was really confused and hurt. But obviously, when the time came,” Katara pushed away the tendrils of sadness threatening to squeeze the life from her heart again, “he made his choice. And we paid the price.” _I paid the price. I’m still paying it._ “We can’t trust him.”

“I kinda have a confession to make,” said Aang. “Remember when you two were sick and I got captured by Zhao?”

Sokka replied, “And you made us suck on frozen frogs? How could I forget? I had a wart on the flap that hangs down from the back of my throat for a month!” He opened his mouth wide and pointed at his tonsils.

Katara wasn’t in the mood for Sokka’s dramatics today. “Sokka, I looked at it and told you there was nothing there.”

“I could feel it! It’s _my_ throatal flap!”

Aang went on, “Anyway, when Zhao had me chained up, it was Zuko who came in and got me out. He risked his life to save me.”

Katara said, “It doesn’t matter! I’m sure he only did it so he could capture you himself.”

“Yeah,” said Sokka. “Face it, Aang, you’re nothing but a big prize to him.”

Aang looked sad. He always wanted to see the best in everyone. “You’re probably right.”

Katara didn’t like to see Aang even entertaining the notion of letting Zuko join them. She scoffed, “And what was all that crazy stuff about doing some good things? What a liar.”

Toph tilted her head. “Actually, he wasn’t lying.

Sokka threw up his arms sarcastically. “Oh, hooray! In a lifetime of evil, at least he did a ‘few good things’.”

Toph didn’t take her eyes off Katara. “He wasn’t lying when he said he saved your life in the desert, Katara.”

“Yeah, what was that about? You didn’t tell us anything about that,” Sokka said.

Katara felt like the air was closing in around her. “Fine! Yes, okay? He wasn’t lying about that. I came stumbling out of the desert about to die and Zuko found me. He took me to someone who nursed me back to health.”

“There’s more to this.” Toph said confrontationally. “What aren’t you telling us?”

“Ugh. Seriously, Toph, why can’t you just leave it alone?”

“Because it’s important right now. Tell us.”

Katara glanced at Aang and Sokka but they looked just as curious as Toph. Resigning herself, she said in a tight voice, “Remember how I said I had to walk to Ba Sing Se after we got separated in the desert? Well, I wasn’t alone.” She took a deep breath. “I traveled with Zuko.”

“WHAT?!” Sokka and Aang both exclaimed.

“Well, he’d saved my life and he was going to Ba Sing Se too, so… we just kind of, ended up on the road together. That’s it! And after he attacked Aang in the caves under Ba Sing Se, I didn’t think it mattered that he had seemed like a decent person for five minutes, okay?! So just drop it, will you?”

“Oh yeah,” Sokka began sarcastically. “I can totally see how you might not tell us that VERY MINOR DETAIL. You just hung out with our archnemesis for a few weeks! Must have slipped your mind, did it?”

“I didn’t tell you because I felt like an idiot! Because he tricked me and I felt stupid! Are you happy now, Sokka?”

Trying to deescalate the situation, Aang said, “It’s okay, Katara. You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. But I don’t think you’re an idiot.”

“But the point is, he _did_ save your life,” Toph said.

“He saved it and then he stabbed me in the back!” Katara retorted.

Toph pushed, “I’m just saying that considering his messed-up family and how he was raised, he could have turned out a lot worse.”

Katara couldn’t take this anymore. “You’re right, Toph. Let’s go find him and give him a medal. The ‘not as much of a jerk as you could have been’ award.”

“All I know is that while he was talking to us, he was sincere. Maybe you’re just letting your _hurt feelings_ keep you from thinking clearly.” Toph said pointedly.

Katara glared at her. How much was she able to tell with her irritating truth-telling ability? Katara couldn’t bear it if anyone in the group found out how much of an idiot she had really, truly been. And how hurt she still was.

Katara snapped back, “Easy for you to say! You weren’t there when he had us attacked by pirates.”

Sokka joined in, “Or when he burned down Kyoshi Island.”

Even Aang had something to add, “Or, when he tried to capture me at the fire temple.”

“Why would you even try to defend him?!” Katara demanded.

Toph held her ground. “Because, Katara, you’re all ignoring one crucial fact. Aang needs a firebending teacher. We can’t think of a single person in the world to do the job. Now one shows up on a silver platter and you won’t even think about it!”

“I’m not having Zuko as my teacher,” Aang said.

“You’re damn right you’re not, buddy.” Sokka put a hand on Aang’s shoulder.

Katara glared at Toph again. “Well, I guess that’s settled.”

Toph growled in frustration. “I’m beginning to wonder who’s really the blind one around here.”

She left the camp, and didn’t return for the rest of the night.

Katara was glad Toph was not around. She didn’t like the way the earthbender could see through her and she didn’t want to be pressed about what had actually happened between her and Zuko. Or her feelings for him, as mixed up as they were.

Sensing her dark mood, Sokka and Aang gave her a wide berth that evening. Which suited her just fine.

* * *

“Fuck!” Zuko screamed into the night, berating himself after the earthbender had crawled away into the forest. She’d come to talk to him, but when she’d woken him from his uneasy sleep, he’d reacted on instinct. He’d _burned_ her.

“Fuck fuck fuck!” he shouted again, banging his hands on his head.

This might have been his only chance, his one shot, to convince someone in the Avatar’s group that he was sincere. And instead he’d completely fucked it up.

He needed to find a way to show them that he had changed. Whatever it took.

* * *

The next day, while Toph was soaking her burned feet in the fountain after a session of healing with Katara, Combustion Man caught up with them despite their remote location. Katara, Aang, Sokka, and Toph ran for cover as explosions sent rocks flying everywhere.

To everyone’s surprise, Zuko showed up, trying to call the assassin off. Combustion Man completely ignored the firebender, single-mindedly focused on his mission, until Zuko gave up on conversation and started attacking him. They traded a few blows before the force of one of Combustion Man’s blasts pushed Zuko off the edge of the narrow ledge they were standing on. As he fell, Zuko managed to reach out and grab a lucky tree root hanging from the cliffside.

While Zuko was preoccupied with climbing to safety, Combustion Man leapt onto a platform closer to the balcony. He fended off attacks from Aang and Katara, sending an onslaught of explosions toward them until they had to retreat behind a thick stone wall. It soon became clear he was trying to blast the entire structure off the cliffside.

From behind their cover, Sokka managed to hit the assassin directly in his third eye, the source of his bending power. At first, it didn’t seem to slow him down—but the next time he released an attack, the explosion backfired, destroying Combustion Man for good.

* * *

After the battle, Katara watched Zuko walk over to them, and she geared herself up for another fight.

Aang sounded astonished. “I can’t believe I’m saying this but, thanks Zuko.”

“Hey, what about me?” said Sokka. “I did the boomerang thing.”

Everyone ignored him.

Zuko was much more self-possessed than he had been the day before. “Listen, I know I didn’t explain myself very well yesterday. I’ve been through a lot in the past few years. And it’s been hard. But I’m realizing that I had to go through all those things to learn the truth. I thought I had lost my honor and somehow my father could return it to me. But I know now that no one can give you your honor. It’s something you earn for yourself by choosing to do what’s right. All I want now is to play my part in ending this war. And I know my destiny is to help you restore balance to the world.” He turned to Toph and bowed. “I’m sorry for what I did to you. It was an accident. Fire can be dangerous and wild, so as a firebender I need to be more careful and control my bending, so I don’t hurt people unintentionally.”

Upon hearing that, Aang decided that it was time to give Zuko a chance. “I think you _are_ supposed to be my firebending teacher. When I first tried to learn firebending, I burned Katara. And after that, I never wanted to firebend again. But now I know you understand how easy it is to hurt the people you love.”

Zuko’s eyes flickered to Katara at the word “love,” and he tried to ignore the piercing sensation in his chest.

Aang bowed to him and continued, “I’d like you to teach me.”

Katara wanted to evaporate. _This cannot be happening._ _He can’t join us. He_ can’t. _I can’t be near him. I can’t bear it._ She wanted to scream and throw shards of ice at everyone and weep all at the same time.

Zuko returned Aang’s bow. “Thank you. I’m so happy you’ve accepted me into your group.” He smiled, feeling optimistic for the first time in a long time.

“Not so fast,” said Aang. “I still have to ask my friends if it’s okay with them. Toph, you’re the one that Zuko burned. What do you think?”

Toph shrugged. “Go ahead and let him join.” Then, she smiled. “It’ll give me plenty of time to get back at him for burning my feet.”

“Sokka?”

“Hey, all I want is to defeat the Fire Lord. If you think this is the way to do it, then I’m all for it.”

“Katara?”

Zuko looked at Katara with eyes full of hope.

Katara was trapped. Aang clearly wanted Zuko to teach him, he’d basically welcomed him to the group already. And everyone seemed to be going along with it, no matter what they’d said the day before. She felt panicked, but there was really nothing else to do but to agree. Through gritted teeth, she managed, “I’ll go along with whatever you think is right.”

She refused to meet Zuko’s gaze.

“I won’t let you down. I promise!” Zuko said eagerly.

Katara walked away without looking back.

* * *

After Sokka showed Zuko to his new room in the Western Air Temple, Zuko let out a sigh of relief. The hardest part was over. Now that they’d accepted him into the group, he would just need to help Aang and everything would be all right. Surely Katara would come around, eventually. She had to. It pained him to see her reaction to him joining them, but he thought he could convince her that his heart was in the right place given enough time.

He unpacked his sparse belongings, the most important item being his portrait of Iroh. As he took it out of his bag, he studied it, feeling horribly guilty. His uncle had already escaped when Zuko had gone to free him from his jail cell on the day of the eclipse. He wished his uncle could see him now. He hoped he would be proud. And he hoped, more than anything, that he would have a chance to apologize to him. To tell him how much he meant to him.

He was lost in his thoughts when Katara showed up in the doorway.

As she strode into the room, Zuko’s heart leapt for a split-second, before he saw the way she was glowering at him, brimming with detestation.

Katara approached him confrontationally, standing as close as she could bring herself to. “You might have everyone else here buying your ‘transformation’ but you and I both know you’ve struggled with doing the right thing in the past.”

“Katara, I—” he began, thinking he could finally apologize to her properly. She was only inches away from him, so close he couldn’t ignore the way his body began to burn for her, even as he tried to smother the feeling.

“No,” she cut him off. “You don’t talk to me. You don’t _look_ at me. As far as I’m concerned, you don’t exist unless it’s something about defeating the Fire Lord. You’re here for one thing. To teach Aang firebending. And let me tell you something right now. You make one step backward, one slip-up, give me _one_ reason to think you might hurt Aang, and you won’t have to worry about your destiny anymore because I’ll make sure your destiny ends right then and there. Permanently.”

Zuko was left speechless as Katara swept from the room, slamming the door on her way out.

When she was gone, he sank onto the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. He felt eviscerated. How could he ever have thought they could be friends? She was never going to forgive him.

He knew he deserved it, but that didn’t make it hurt any less.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! Posting this chapter a day early :) . It's a long one, so strap in and enjoy!
> 
> And I just wanted to say thanks again to everyone who has been leaving kudos and, especially, commenting. It means the world to me!

Zuko became part of the Avatar’s group. He tried his best to fit in, to show them that he had really changed. He made them tea and even tried his hand at telling jokes (very unsuccessfully).

Whenever he joined the others, Katara would find some excuse to leave. His heart twisted every time she did it. She never spoke to him, unless it was part of a group discussion, and even then, she was antagonistic and biting. Even Aang seemed taken aback by her ferocity.

Zuko was at a loss, but she clearly wanted nothing to do with him, so he respected that and gave her space. All the same, he couldn’t help but miss her. He ached to kiss her again. But all he had left were thoughts, memories… fantasies. Dreams of her pressing herself against him and telling him that she wanted him.

He ended up going on missions with Aang and Sokka, first to figure out how to restore his diminished firebending power, then to help Sokka rescue Hakoda from the maximum-security Fire Nation prison. It was almost a relief to leave, because being around Katara when she despised him was becoming unbearable. He loved her so much, and she could not even tolerate him.

It did not escape his notice, though, that she didn’t appear to be _with_ Aang. They never touched in any way other than how friends would. He had never seen them kiss. Other than Aang’s mention of hurting the person he loved, Zuko hadn’t seen or heard anything that would make him think they were a couple. When Suki joined the group, it was incredibly apparent that she and Sokka were an item. But there was never any of that between Katara and Aang.

Deep in his heart, a small seed of hope began to blossom. But he told himself that it didn’t matter—she would never forgive him.

As the days and weeks passed, he began to feel more and more accepted by everyone in the group… except Katara. And as amazing as it felt to have friends—real friends—for the first time in his life, it just wasn’t the same without _her_.

And she showed no sign of changing her mind.

He realized he had to do something to show her that he was sincere, that he had changed, and that she could trust him again—at least, enough to be friends with him. He’d obviously thrown away any shot he might have had at being with her when he betrayed her in Ba Sing Se. He would regret it for the rest of his life.

Katara watched as all of her friends began to rely on him, and to like him, and it only made her angrier. It was everything she had scarcely allowed herself to dream was possible, back when she was traveling with him. And now, _now_ , here it was, and she simply could not trust it. She couldn’t trust _herself_ to trust it.

She couldn’t help but notice that he was trying, really trying. But she pushed that observation away.

She noticed that he helped Aang and Sokka with dangerous missions, expecting nothing in return. She pushed the thought away.

She saw how devoted he was to their cause—more than Aang half the time, it seemed. She pushed that away, too.

Every time she felt herself softening toward him, she fought it. The greatest blow to her resolve was when he brought back Hakoda and Suki from the Fire Nation prison. And so, she fought even harder, throwing up her defenses with all of her might. She ensconced herself in her anger like a fortress.

_She_ was the only one who would see it coming when he betrayed them. _She_ was the only one who’d had her heart broken, and while they could all forgive him and move on, she just couldn’t. She couldn’t. Whenever she felt like showing up in his room late at night, telling him that everything was behind them now, and throwing her arms around him, she reminded herself of the way it had felt when he’d ripped her heart out. She’d barely put herself back together last time—in truth, she _hadn’t_ put herself back together at all, probably never would. She would _not_ go through it again. She wouldn’t survive it a second time. And every time she thought of it, she hated him for doing it to her, even more.

* * *

_~~~S3 E16: The Southern Raiders~~~_

Not long after they had rescued Hakoda and the others, Azula attacked them at the Western Air Temple. Azula’s first blast knocked down a section of the ceiling, directly above where Katara was standing. Before Katara knew what was happening, Zuko dove onto her, rolling her out of the way and shielding her with his body.

It was the most they had touched since Ba Sing Se.

“What are you doing?!” she shouted. He was still lying over her, his arms around her protectively. His closeness felt like it was tearing down the increasingly-flimsy barrier she’d made around her heart and digging sharp barbs into the open wound beneath.

“Keeping rocks from crushing you.”

He still wasn’t moving.

She could not endure this for one second longer. “Okay, I’m not crushed! Don’t fucking touch me again.” She wrenched herself free of him and sped off to see how she could help in the fight, shaking from the shock of how strong her emotions still were.

Zuko winced. “I was just trying to help you. You’re welcome.” But she was already gone.

Yet, in spite of her anger, when Zuko was plummeting toward the ground after battling with his sister, Katara didn’t hesitate to reach out from Appa and pull him to safety.

* * *

Aang and his core group—Katara, Sokka, Toph, Suki, and Zuko—had been split from the others during Azula’s attack. They were now camping out on a verdant cliffside overlooking the ocean. 

Night had fallen and the campfire crackled merrily as everyone sat around it, sharing food and drinks. The air was crisp, and they could hear the constant sound of waves crashing against the side of the cliffs.

Katara sat as far away from Zuko as she could, across the fire. Unfortunately, that meant she was in the perfect position to watch the way the firelight played across his features. The strong curve of his jaw. The high lines of his cheekbones. His golden eyes. It reminded her of their many campfires on the journey to Ba Sing Se. Or playing pai sho in the dim firelight of her room when she’d been captive on his ship. Her heart wrenched. She despised her traitor body, which still yearned for his touch. It was even worse now, thanks to his little stunt with the falling rocks. The temptation was there, every day, to simply ignore her hurt and push him against a tree, kissing him until she didn’t know where she was anymore. It was so incredibly hard, having to constantly see him while missing him so desperately—but she was determined not to give in, not to trust him again. Her heart still felt shattered, and it was all his fault. Her anger burned hot in her chest.

Toph was talking, dragging Katara from her thoughts. “So, Zuko. You and Katara were travel buddies all the way to Ba Sing Se. How was it, traveling with our Sugar Queen?”

Zuko blushed, hoping the firelight would hide it. “Uh—”

“Shut up, Toph,” Katara said, a bite in her voice.

“Well, you won’t tell us a thing about it and I’m curious,” Toph replied. “Go on, tell us Zuko. Did she mother you like the rest of us?”

“Uh… no.” Zuko choked on his tea. “Definitely not motherly.”

Katara shot him a death glare.

Sokka joined in, “I just find it so hard to picture you two on the road together.”

Katara said, “Then don’t. Look, we just walked to where we were going. It was the same as when the rest of us travel anywhere. Except no flying bison.”

Katara did not like the way Toph was furrowing her brow, like there was something she couldn’t figure out.

Noticing Katara’s growing discomfort, Zuko tried to shift the focus of the conversation, “Yeah. Super boring. Although we did save an Earth Kingdom family from an angry moose-lion pack.”

“Wow, tell us about that!” said Aang.

The conversation meandered on, ending up with Sokka’s theatrical retelling of the story of the moose-lion cub he befriended and its mother, who hadn’t taken kindly to him.

When he was finished, much of the tension had dissipated.

Feeling nostalgic, Aang said, “Telling stories. Camping. It really seems like old times again, doesn’t it?”

“If you really want it to feel like old times, I could, ah… chase you around a while and try to capture you?” Zuko joked.

Everyone laughed except Katara.

“Ha. Ha,” she said darkly.

“To Zuko!” Sokka proclaimed, holding his cup in the air. “Who knew after all those times he tried to snuff us out, today he’d be our hero!”

“Here here!” Aang, Toph, and Suki said, raising their cups and still laughing.

Zuko smiled, his heart feeling warmed. “I’m touched. I don’t deserve this.”

Katara snapped, “Yeah. No kidding.” She wasn’t going to sit there and listen to them applauding Zuko. She stood up and stalked off into the night.

Sokka watched her go, “What’s with her?”

Zuko said sadly, “I wish I knew.” He needed to talk to her. To make her understand how sorry he was and that he’d do anything to repair the damage. This had gone on long enough. Standing, he followed in the direction Katara had disappeared.

“What’s with _him_?” Sokka said as Zuko went.

Katara sat on a rock near the edge of the cliffs, looking out at the vast ocean and seething. She tried to calm herself down, but it was impossible. She wished Zuko would just go away and leave her—and her friends—alone.

A shuffling noise behind her made her turn her head. Of course, it was Zuko. _He can’t just leave me be, can he?_ she thought bitterly. She got up to leave, again, when Zuko spoke.

“This isn’t fair. Everyone else seems to trust me now. Please, Katara.”

“Oh! Everyone trusts you now?! I was the first person to trust you! More than trust you! And you turned around and betrayed me.” Katara did not want to be having this conversation. She felt ill. “Betrayed all of us!”

Zuko grimaced. His choice in Ba Sing Se was his biggest regret and he hated how much it had hurt her.

“What can I do to make it up to you?”

“You really wanna know?” she said scornfully. “Hmm. Maybe you could reconquer Ba Sing Se in the name of the Earth King.” _Maybe_ _you could NOT fuck me and throw me away like it was nothing. You could love me, like I love—loved—you._ She brought her face inches from his, her eyes wild. She couldn’t bring herself to say what she really wanted to, so she shouted the next thing that came to mind. “Or, I know, you could bring my mother back!”

Katara marched past him, shoving him with her shoulder as she went.

Zuko watched her go. It was clear that this wasn’t going to resolve itself. She was never going to accept him unless he was able to do something, somehow, to convince her. He thought about her comment regarding her mother. It wasn’t the first time she’d brought it up. If there was something he could do to help her find closure, maybe… just maybe, she could find it within herself to forgive him.

Once Zuko’s mind was made up, he didn’t want to waste any time. It was late, but he needed to talk to Sokka right away. On his way to Sokka’s tent, he bumped into Suki. 

Suki blushed. “Oops. Wrong tent.”

It was obvious Suki was sneaking into Sokka’s tent for the night but Zuko didn’t care about that right now. They could wait. This was more important. “Sorry. Do you need to talk to Sokka too?”

“Nope. Not me.” Suki all but ran back to her own tent. Zuko rolled his eyes. Those two had no reason to sneak around, nobody was bothered by them being together. And, it was incredibly obvious what they were up to, in any case. Sighing, he pushed aside the flap to Sokka’s tent.

Sokka was lying in the middle of the tent surrounded by candles with a rose in his mouth. His back was to the entrance.

Sokka said playfully, “Well, helloo.” He choked on the last word—and the rose—when he turned his head to see Zuko coming into the tent instead of the person he’d been expecting.

Zuko didn’t have time to worry about niceties. He sat down cross-legged in front of Sokka and waited for him to collect himself.

Sitting up, Sokka babbled, “Uh. Zuko! Yes. Why would I be expecting anyone different? Soo what’s on your mind?”

“Your sister. She hates me. I—I think I know why. But I don’t know how to fix it. And I do care what she thinks of me.”

“Nah, she doesn’t hate you. Katara doesn’t _hate_ anyone. Except maybe some people in the Fire Nation.” A look of panicked realization crossed Sokka’s face and he hurried on. “No! I mean, uh, not people who are good but used to be bad. I mean _bad_ people. Fire Nation people who are _still_ bad. Who’ve _never_ been good and probably won’t be, ever—"

Zuko put a hand over his face. “Stop. Okay. Listen. I know this may seem out of nowhere but I want you to tell me what happened to your mother.”

Sokka’s mouth dropped open. “What? Why would you want to know that?”

“Katara mentioned it to me, before. And again just now when she was yelling at me. If I can help, somehow, with that, then I think maybe she’ll forgive me. I _need_ her to forgive me, Sokka. I can’t go on like this.”

“It’s not a day I like to remember.”

* * *

Katara stretched. She’d had another fitful sleep, dreaming about Zuko, and she wasn’t looking forward to another day of dealing with all of her conflicting emotions about him. As she left her tent, she saw him sitting on a rock right outside of it. _What is his deal? I thought I made myself clear._ She considered ducking right back inside her tent, but she saw that he’d already seen her.

Clenching her jaw, she tried to act nonchalant. “You look terrible.”

“I waited out here all night.”

“What do you want?”

“I know who killed your mother. I’m going to help you find them.”

Katara’s eyes went wide. It was the last thing she was expecting.

Forgetting about her confusion and anger at Zuko, Katara found herself agreeing to leave with him on Appa to find the people who were responsible for her mother’s death. She wanted vengeance and if Zuko was the person who could help her get it, then so be it.

* * *

It was a very emotional journey for Katara, but they finally found the man who murdered her mother. When it came down to it, Katara could not bring herself to kill him in revenge. Zuko was awed at her strength—not just her waterbending, which had become intensely powerful, but her inner strength in letting the man go in the end.

Knowing her as well as he did, Zuko could tell that she needed some time to process everything that had happened. They were already in the Fire Nation, so he directed Appa to his family’s disused vacation home on their own private beach. There, he knew it would be quiet and she could have peace to sort through her thoughts. His plan was to bring the rest of the gang there too, and use it as a hideout until they figured out their next move. But the others could wait one more night. Katara needed the time.

Zuko waited on the beach while Katara sat at the end of the dock, her feet in the water. She’d already changed back into her usual outfit, wanting at least her clothing to feel normal, even if nothing else did. The afternoon passed by slowly. Zuko wished he could be there for her, provide a shoulder to lean on or a listening ear, but he still didn’t know where he stood with her and he didn’t want to upset her with his company.

The sunset filled the sky with fiery oranges and reds when Katara finally got up and padded up the dock back to the beach.

“Are you okay?” Zuko asked.

“I’m doing fine.”

“That was very strong. What you did back there. Or, what you didn’t do.”

“I wanted to do it.” Katara shuddered. “I wanted to take out all my anger at him but I couldn’t. I don’t know if it’s because I’m too weak to do it or if it’s because I’m strong enough not to.”

“Did you forgive him? Like Aang wanted?”

Katara balled her hand into a fist. “I didn’t forgive him. I’ll never forgive him.”

Zuko’s heart was in his throat but he had to know. “And… me?”

“What about you?”

“Can you… forgive me?”

It was only a moment before her answer, but it seemed like an eternity to Zuko.

“No,” she said resolutely.

Zuko felt a wave of despair. Was there nothing he could do to earn her forgiveness?

“Katara. _Please.”_ He reached out to touch her.

She lurched away. “No, Zuko.”

“Just listen to me then, okay? I’ve earned that much, at least.”

Katara pursed her lips and crossed her arms. “Fine.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for Ba Sing Se, Katara, I am so, so sorry. I was so stupid. I thought my father could return my honor to me but he couldn’t. I thought I needed to be accepted into the Fire Nation—accepted by my father—to be fulfilled, but that was wrong too. I had to figure that out for myself, I know that now. And when Aang found us in the cave… and he kissed you, I thought—well, it doesn’t matter what I thought anymore. I made a bad choice. The worst choice. I betrayed you.” Zuko’s voice broke and tears welled in his eyes. “I threw away the best thing that ever happened to me. But I learned, and I came back. Even thinking you were in love with Aang, I knew I had to do the right thing and help you all. I know that it can never be… like it was, between us. I know I gave that up when I betrayed you. And I will regret it until I die. But please, _please_ Katara, please can’t you at least see that I’ve changed? I can’t bear the thought of you hating me anymore.”

Katara swallowed. She felt hyperalert and dizzy all at the same time. This was the conversation she had been avoiding since Zuko joined them. No matter how much he apologized, it didn’t fix the gaping hole in her heart and she didn’t think anything would. She barely felt the small jolt of surprise that Aang’s kiss had been the catalyst, after all.

“I’m sorry Zuko but I just can’t.” Her voice wavered.

“Why? Why can’t you?”

“Why?!” Katara’s anger flared and the words surged out of her. “WHY? You think you can just come back and everything will be okay again? Oh, boo hoo, ‘I’m fire prince Zuko and I’ve gone on this big personal journey and I’ve been through so much pain.’ Did you ever think about _my_ pain?”

“Of course—” Zuko began before Katara cut him off.

Her voice was hoarse with emotion. “I’m not finished! Did you ever think about how _I_ felt when you turned around and attacked me, after everything I thought we had? Worse than that, you tried to kill my best friend. You made me think you cared about me, and then, when I needed you, you turned against me. You just took what you wanted from me—you had fun fucking the _little peasant_ until it didn’t suit you anymore, and then you just tossed me aside. Like it was nothing! For fuck’s sake Zuko, you think I just pulled myself back up after that?”

Tears streamed freely down Katara’s face and she began to shake with anger and the effort of holding in her sobs as she yelled, “I have spent months—MONTHS—trying to heal my heart and it hasn’t mattered because it still hurts so fucking much. Every single day it hurts. And you did that. _You_ did that to me. Every time I look at you, it hurts all over again. I was in love with you, you asshole! I _love_ you, and you… you…”

Katara broke down crying, unable to continue.

Zuko could not believe what he had just heard. He felt so ashamed of everything he’d done, and to hear how much it hurt her was like a knife in his heart. But then, she said she _loved_ him. Hope blazed so hot he couldn’t speak.

_She loved me? Holy shit, she loved me. LOVES me? I am an even bigger moron than I thought. Oh Katara, my Katara, how could I do that to you?_

In two long strides Zuko closed the distance between them. Grabbing her face, he pulled her into a frantic kiss; a hard, mouth-bruising, urgent kiss. He could taste the salt of her tears as he crushed his lips against hers.

Katara’s body went stiff and her head felt like it was spinning until she could hardly keep her balance. Then she was kissing him back, her body responding to him without input from her brain.

When her brain caught up with what she was doing, she jerked back, slapping him hard across the face.

Zuko caught her hand before she could retreat. His words tumbled over themselves, “I love you. I love you Katara, I love you. I loved you then, I love you now. Please, I _love_ you.”

Katara’s eyes flew wide. Everything she had fought so hard to push away came rushing back all at once, shattering her carefully maintained defenses.

With a strangled cry in the back of her throat, she lunged at him, taking his mouth again. His tongue thrust into her mouth, and they kissed with a hard and tender passion, full of denied love and longing. He clutched her to him fiercely.

It wasn’t enough. She was still so angry at him. But she loved him so desperately. And she was angry at how desperately she loved him. And how much she wanted him to love her back. Now, he’d said he loved her, what she’d been longing to hear; and he was kissing her again, what she’d been aching to feel—her emotions jumbled together until she didn’t know what she wanted anymore. Doing the only thing that seemed to make any sense, she bit his lower lip, hard. She didn’t know whether she was biting him to punish him or to possess him.

Zuko moaned and pressed his mouth against hers mercilessly, then bit her lip in return, even harder.

Her mind screamed that she needed more, it still wasn’t enough, she needed to _feel_ more. Whether the pain took the edge off her anger or whether that was what it took to convince her that this was real, it didn’t matter. She loved him more than she thought it was possible to love anyone. She needed to make herself believe that she was in his arms, that he was holding her, kissing her, wanting her, loving her. It was a ferocious, terrible, relentless need and it demanded _more_. She grasped at his clothing, his arms, his back, trying to pull him closer to her, trying to smother the ache in her heart with the feel of his body.

Zuko answered in kind, kissing her with raw, pure, brutal love. Gripping her so hard that it hurt, one fist in her hair, the other wrapped possessively around her waist. As he kissed her with sweltering fury, the wild thing Katara had been holding at bay since Zuko had returned was unleashed. She tore her mouth away, lips swollen and tingling, to bite his neck and chest. 

_More, more, more._ It flooded her mind and body until she felt feral with it.

Zuko’s lips latched onto the sensitive skin at the base of her neck and she felt a sweet stinging suction, a dull pain mixed with pleasure, forcing a moan from her. Alternating swells of heat and chills coursed through her body.

Taking a long, quivering breath, she urged Zuko on, plunging her hands under his shirt and digging her nails deep into his back as he sucked a line of violent, hungry kisses down her chest.

More than ever before, he felt a raging need to consume her, to have her and claim her. He’d thought he lost her—and now that he had her again, his desire felt like a wildfire blazing through every nerve in his body.

A blur of lips and teeth and nails, of grasping hands and burning need, they tore at each other, trying to pull the other into themselves in a frenzied desire to be one.

Then suddenly Katara was on her back in the sand, his hands beneath her dress, tearing at her leggings and sarashi wraps with all the strength of his suppressed passion.

“Don’t be gentle,” she growled in his ear, ripping his pants down to free his straining erection.

Zuko gave a ragged groan from the back of his throat. His eyes were dark and starved as he seized her wrists, holding them above her head and pinning her down. _Mine_ , he said without saying a word. _Mine!_

Her body arched under him. Deep within her came an answering call, _Yes, yes, yours, all yours. And you are mine. I WILL have you._

She exulted in the searing heat of his body pressed along the length of hers, the weight of him on top of her, the exhilaration of having him again. She felt both helpless under him and strangely powerful, the master of this furious desire unshackled within him.

With his knee, he shoved her legs apart. Feeling his probing shaft against her inner thigh, her hips jerked against him involuntarily, eliciting a husky moan from him.

Forcibly, he buried himself into her. She cried out in pleasure.

“My waterbender,” he rumbled.

His possessive voice sent another ripple of pleasure through her. In answer, she fastened her teeth in the flesh of his shoulder. Full of her own uncontrollable need, her hips jerked again.

“Harder,” she gasped.

She thrilled to the sensation of his long, hard cock pushing inside of her, harder, deeper, scorching her, filling her with more fire than she could ever remember feeling, even with him. She wanted to laugh and cry all at once. Her breath hitched and she couldn’t contain a low panting moan. Each time he pulled back, she hungered for him to return, pushing to take him again.

Zuko cried out at the unbelievable pleasure of her. He’d missed her so desperately, loved her so fervently, so hopelessly. It felt like they were made for each other, and he would be damned if he would ever let her go again.

Katara felt the pressure deep within her grow with each thrust and she rocked her hips insistently. She looked up at him, silver streaks from her tears still on her face, face flushed, eyes full of desire. In this moment she could forget herself—there was no heartbreak, no agony of longing, no anger, no despair. Just desire and sensation and passion. She turned her face upwards, urgent to be kissed. Still restraining her wrists, Zuko crushed his lips against hers savagely as he plunged his cock into her depths, faster and faster.

Whimpering, feeling each stroke keenly, she arched to meet him, blow for blow. Abruptly, deep surges of pleasure washed over her, coming in waves that matched Zuko’s movements.

“Don’t stop, don’t stop,” she moaned into his mouth.

The spasms of her release stroked him as he drove in again and again with unrestrained abandon, until his own orgasm followed on the heels of hers and sent tremors through his entire body. Zuko breathed hard as the peak came over them both and crested.

“Katara, my Katara,” he whispered shakily, his head dropping against her shoulder. “I _love_ you.”

He collapsed on top of her, both of them in a dazed stupor. Katara loved the feeling of his weight resting on her, never heavy—she never felt so complete as she did in these moments. And it had been so long. So terribly long.

Adrift in contentment, Katara absently traced patterns along his shoulders with her fingertips. She realized that she’d left a crisscross of scratch marks all over his back.

Zuko’s fingers squeezed her lightly. He clasped her close for a moment before withdrawing himself and yanking his pants up, then rolled over to lie with his back on the sand. He pulled her on top of him. Smiling, with tears in his eyes, he settled his arms around her and embraced her tightly.

They lay there as their breathing slowed.

“So does this mean you forgive me?” he whispered.

There was a long pause and Zuko thought his heart would stop.

Katara buried her face into his chest and trembled.

“Katara?”

“I want to. Spirits, how I want to. But… I’m so afraid. I’m afraid I will get hurt again. How can I ever trust you…”

Zuko’s voice was husky with emotion as he replied. He felt like he wanted to weep. “I will _never_ hurt you again. I promise. I swear it _._ I love you so much and I was such a coward not to tell you before now. I won’t hurt you again Katara. I won’t. I would rather die than see you hurt again.”

Katara took a deep shuddering breath. “I love you too. Despite… everything. I love you. But it hurts.”

Zuko thought, _How does she still love me, after all of it? How could I be so lucky? Never, ever again, will I make such a huge mistake. I will never give her up again._

He said, “It won’t keep hurting, I will make sure of that.”

“In Ba Sing Se. You just… discarded me.” Katara’s eyes filled with tears again.

Zuko clutched her against his chest and wished he could go back in time to make a different decision on that fateful day. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize that from your perspective… but of course that is how you felt. I was so jealous, Katara. Stupid and jealous. I saw Aang kiss you, and he said he loved you, and I thought that maybe you loved him too… and then I couldn’t think straight. I just lost it. And then I lost _you_. But I never stopped loving you, you have to believe that.”

“You didn’t even give me a chance to explain.”

“I know. I should have trusted you. Trusted what I felt for you. And what we had.”

“Yeah. You should have.”

A long silence hung between them.

Katara said, “I just wish you’d figured it all out sooner. You know, everything you said when you asked to join us, about realizing what the right thing was and that you had to do it. I wish you’d figured it out before… before you did what you did.”

“Me too. Not a day goes by when I don’t wish that. I just… I wanted… my father—”

Katara interrupted him, “I know.”

She lay on him quietly, simply soaking in the comfort of his closeness, as Zuko stroked her hair.

After a time, she said, “I forgive you.”

Zuko could hardly believe it. Forgiveness was not something he was used to. He smiled unsteadily and rained kisses on her forehead and face. “You are everything to me, Katara. You will never have to feel like that again. I’ll tell you I love you every day.”

Katara curled herself against him and clasped him tightly. “I love you.”

“You really do, don’t you?”

“I do.”

Zuko closed his eyes, overcome with feeling. “Thank you.”

“Thank you?”

“For loving me.” Zuko cleared his throat. “I haven’t had a whole lot of that in my life. And I never thought _you_ would, you know, feel that way about me. This is the best I’ve ever felt and it’s all because of you. So, thanks.”

Katara felt a warm tender feeling blossom in her heart, beginning the work of smoothing away the jagged edges of her pain.

Her body felt pleasantly limp and comfortable. She closed her eyes.

Zuko returned to carefully stroking her hair. With each gentle stroke, it was like a weight was lifted from her heart. A barb removed. A drop of antidote for the poison that had been slowly choking the life from her.

They stayed tangled up in each other for some time, until the sun had sunk far below the horizon and brilliant stars covered the night sky.

“Why don’t we go inside, waterbender? I have a very comfortable bed we can sleep in tonight.”

“Not yet,” she murmured.

They lay on the beach until the breeze grew chilly, when Katara eventually allowed Zuko to guide her to his family’s vacation house and into his bed.

Drifting to sleep in each other’s arms, Katara basked in a happy glow, a balm to the anger she had harbored since Ba Sing Se.

Sometime in the quiet hours of the night, they woke again and turned to each other wordlessly. Long, sensuous touches in the dark turned into lingering kisses and slow unspeaking tenderness, love-making in every sense of the word.

They fell asleep again, entwined, to the gentle sound of the ocean waves lapping up against the beach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of my favorite chapters - I hope you like it too!


	20. Chapter 20

Zuko left on Appa the next morning to pick up the others. Katara was amazed at how light she felt—she was happier than she had been in ages. In fact, she felt positively buoyant.

And better than that was the thrill of excitement she felt when she thought that she loved Zuko and _Zuko loved her back_. All the anguish of the past months was finally over, and it had somehow turned out better than she’d imagined possible.

Her only disappointment was that they would have to hide their relationship for the time being. They agreed that they shouldn’t tell the others yet, Aang’s feelings being what they were. They didn’t want to put that on his shoulders so close to his final showdown with the Fire Lord—when any small slip-up could cost him his life.

Katara wandered around the old deserted house, thinking about the events of the last twelve hours. She couldn’t contain a huge goofy smile when she thought of what Zuko had said after they’d decided to keep themselves a secret: _“I’ll keep it to myself… for now. But trust me, waterbender, I’d love nothing more than to shout from the mountaintops that you’re mine._ _And I will. When this is all over.”_

Knowing the others were due back soon, she adjusted her red one-strap Fire Nation halter top and her necklace to make sure all of the marks Zuko had sucked into her skin were hidden. She smiled again as she covered them up, thinking about how they had gotten there. She found that she liked the idea of having physical evidence of Zuko’s love on her body. And she’d certainly left enough marks on him.

When the others arrived, Toph turned to Katara sharply as soon as she set foot in the same room. “Something is different about you.”

“Wh—what?” Katara asked nervously.

“I dunno. Maybe you’re just calmer now because you got some closure for your mom. Or maybe it’s something else… either way, your heart rate is way more relaxed now, Sweetness.”

From behind the group, Zuko’s eyes widened. He gave Katara an exaggerated look of panic, and she had to cover her mouth and feign a cough to cover her laugh.

“That must be it,” she said hastily.

“Mmhmm,” said Toph, not sounding convinced.

The conversation soon shifted; Aang wanted to know all about how things had gone with her mother’s killer. They had only heard the basics from Zuko, despite badgering him for details the whole trip. He claimed it was Katara’s story to tell, not his.

Aang looked so proud when she said she hadn’t had it in her to destroy the man. Proud but unsurprised, like he had assumed nothing less. Toph too, nodded her head like it was the obvious outcome. Sokka hugged her and told her that they’d found their closure.

* * *

Later that day, Katara was still thinking about her friends’ reactions to her story of hunting down her mother’s murderer. The buoyancy from the morning was gone, replaced with a growing sense of shame.

She hadn’t told any of them that she’d used bloodbending. She hadn’t told them how her rage has risen into her throat until she could taste it in her mouth. Or how close she had been to driving those shards of ice through the man’s eyes and into the tender flesh of his brain. How much she wanted to. How much it would have felt like justice.

Or that she still wasn’t sure if she made the right decision.

Feeling agitated, Katara paced through the halls. Although she felt aimless, she soon found herself standing outside of Zuko’s room. He was inside, meditating in preparation for a training session with Aang in the afternoon.

Katara hesitated at the door. She didn’t want to bother him when he was meditating. Plus, she wasn’t sure she was ready for such a vulnerable conversation with him, given that they’d only just smoothed out the hurt that lay between them. And beyond that, if they were trying to keep their relationship a secret, it probably wasn’t a good idea for her to be alone with him in his room. No need to give the others any reason to suspect anything.

Still… she wanted to talk to him. He was the one who had been there. And more than that, he _knew_ her—really knew her. He’d even been on the receiving end of her temper for these past few weeks. He saw her, more clearly than anyone.

Taking a breath, she knocked lightly on the door.

“Come in.”

Katara slipped into the room, finding Zuko sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of four gently flickering candles.

His face lit up at seeing who it was. “Katara?”

“I’m sorry to bother you while you’re meditating.”

“You are never bothering me.”

She smiled a little at the sincerity in his voice, before her features became solemn again. “I know I shouldn’t be in here, but I just wanted to talk to you.”

Zuko’s brow creased in concern. “What is it?”

“I—I feel like a fraud. Aang was so… so _proud_ of me, when I told him that I let my mother’s killer go. All of them were. And worse, they acted like it was nothing more than what they’d all expected.” Katara walked back and forth in front of the door as she spoke.

Understanding flickered in his eyes. “You feel like a fraud because you wanted to hurt him.”

“Yes. So, so badly.” Katara’s cheeks flushed with shame. “And you saw what I did… I used bloodbending. I promised myself I would never do it again, but I did. You saw me. It’s monstrous. _I’m_ monstrous.”

Going to her, Zuko put a hand on her shoulder to stop her pacing. She turned to face him, her eyes quivering with suppressed emotion.

“If you’re a monster, then so is any powerful bender.”

“How can you say that? You saw what I did. It’s not the same.”

“Earthbenders can bury people alive. Aang could rip the air from someone’s lungs. Every time I hold fire in my palm, it pulses with the potential for destruction, just waiting to be set loose. I could burn someone alive as easily as look at them. I know what it is to have dangerous bending. And how hard it is to control it—especially when it’s fueled by anger. I fueled my bending with anger for years. I know how easy it is to use it to hurt others.” He raised his hand to touch his scar lightly. “As benders, we make a choice, every time we bend. And as hard as we try, we can’t be perfect. No one makes the perfect decision every time. It’s just human. It doesn’t make you a monster.”

“That’s just it. Everyone expects me to make the perfect decision every time. Like it’s just so easy for me, how could I do anything else? They all think I’m this… infallible, perfect person.” She resumed her pacing, and her words gained momentum as she spoke, “To Sokka, I’ll always be his naïve kid sister who takes care of everyone. Toph thinks I’m this virtuous goody-goody. And Aang… well he’s had me on an unreachable pedestal since the day we first met. The expectations only get higher and higher, and I wonder how I’ll ever live up to them. None of them see the darkness in me. Or that I have other sides to me. It’s like, they only see the parts of me that they want to see. It’s too much pressure and I’m sick of it! And I can’t help but wonder, will the darkness just break out of me one day? Like it did when I bloodbent that soldier.”

When she finished speaking, Katara felt like all her strength just disappeared from her, gone into the air along with her words. She sat heavily on the bed, her head in her hands.

Sitting next to her, Zuko put his arm around her and pulled her against his chest. “I think we all have darkness in us, Katara. You. Me. Even Aang. I fought with my darkness for a long time. It almost won. But you know what I learned?”

She pulled away to look him in the eyes, tears running down her face. “What did you learn?”

Zuko gathered his thoughts for a moment before speaking. “The darkness will always be there. But it’s whether we choose to act on it that really matters. My uncle says that there’s no such thing as courage without fear. It’s not bravery if you don’t have to overcome something within yourself to do it. I think, maybe, the same goes for being a good person.”

He could see her considering what he’d said, but she didn’t yet look convinced.

He continued, trying to put into words all the things he’d grappled with on his own for so long. “I think… without the darkness, then goodness just becomes the default, and is that really being good? It’s only goodness if the capacity—even the desire—for darkness is there… it’s there and we _choose_ to turn away from it. And I’ve seen you, Katara. You choose, time and time again, to do the good thing. To help people. Not because you’re some spirit of unfailing goodness, but because in your heart you _care_ and you want to do what is right. You _choose_ to be good… and the goodness lies in the choice.”

“I don’t know, Zuko…”

“You think you’re a monster because you used bloodbending? Tell me, was that man hurt, when we left?”

“No.”

“And how easy, how stupidly easy, would it have been for you to hurt him, or kill him, with that ability?

Katara’s voice was hoarse. “So easy.”

“But you didn’t. Because you _are_ a good person. Having the darkness doesn’t make you a fraud. It makes you human. It makes you _real._ It makes the goodness shine even brighter. If my sister, or my father, had the ability to bloodbend, they wouldn’t hesitate for one second to use it, as much as possible. They would hurt everyone they could with it. And the fact that you _can_ and you _don’t_ is… well it makes me love you even more. More than I can find the words to say.”

Katara’s breath hitched as she felt the guilt she had been holding in begin to release.

He continued, “And you know what else? I love that you’re stubborn. I love that you’re passionate and determined. I love your temper. And I love your darkness. Without your darkness,” his voice cracked a little, “how would you ever find it in you to understand mine?”

“Zuko—”

Zuko hurried on, “And none of those things cancel out your kindness, your compassion. Your strength and goodness. You wouldn’t be who you are without _all_ those things in you. All of it. The dark and the light. And the world is a better place with you in it, by far.”

“So you don’t… don’t think I’m a bad person? Like I’m just hiding who I am behind some façade of goodness?” Her voice wavered.

Zuko tipped her chin up so she had to look him in the eyes. “Not for a second.”

“And what if I don’t _want_ to be good, all the time? What if it’s too hard?”

“Then you don’t have to be. No one is good _all_ the time. Spirits, I’m only good like, maybe a quarter of the time at best.” That a drew a small smile from her and she nudged him with her shoulder. “I think if you let yourself off the hook, you’ll be surprised at how accepting everyone will be, of every part of you. Everyone is selfish sometimes. Or angry. Or resentful. Everyone has flaws. But you love them anyway, don’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“You deserve that, just as much as anyone.”

Katara took a steadying breath. “When did you get so wise?”

Zuko released a dark chuckle. “I spent a long time looking inside myself. Wrestling with my darkness, and the expectations other people had for me. It’s fucking hard. I get it. I really get it.” He took a deep breath of his own. “Ooor maybe it’s just all that time I spent with my uncle. Some of his wisdom had to rub off on me eventually, right?”

Katara cupped Zuko’s face with her hands and pulled him to her for a tender kiss. “You’ve seen me at my worst… and you still love me.”

Zuko put his arms around her, a self-effacing smile crossing his lips. “You’ve seen me at my worst, too. More than once. And my worst… it’s pretty bad.” His voice grew softer, “I betrayed the people I cared about most of all.”

Seeing the pain on his features, Katara traced her fingertips along his face. Zuko closed his eyes and leaned into her touch. Suddenly, her brows drew together in guilt as another thought occurred to her. She pulled away from his embrace. “Zuko.”

His eyes opened, questioning. He looked wary, like he almost expected her to change her mind about him now that she’d been reminded of _his_ worst self.

Her voice was small as she said, “I never even apologized to you for what happened. You apologized to me so many times, and I didn’t even…”

Relief flooded his face. She wasn’t changing her mind. “Katara, you don’t have to—”

“You said you felt like I just dropped you the second Aang was back. The way you described it… you felt the same as I’ve felt, all this time. I’m sorry I hurt you, Zuko.” Tears welled in her eyes.

Zuko wrapped her in his arms again and kissed her temple. “It’s okay. It’s okay. It doesn’t matter now.”

“I didn’t know Aang was going to kiss me. I should have pushed him away faster.”

Tightening his hold on her, he said, “It’s okay, Katara. Please, please stop apologizing to me. I—I don’t deserve it.” Katara opened her mouth to protest but Zuko rushed on, “Whatever you did that day… what I did was so much worse.”

Katara shook her head obstinately. “You _do_ deserve it, don’t say that. If I’m allowed to be flawed, then you’re allowed to be hurt. And you deserve an apology. I was so mad that I forgot to consider your feelings too. But I won’t treat you like that Zuko. I won’t. I’m not… I’m not like your father. And I _am_ sorry.”

His hands found her hair, stroking it lightly like he had done on the beach. “It’s okay, it’s okay,” he whispered. Then, almost to himself, “There are so many things I wish I’d done differently. And I still can’t believe… after all that… you’re here with me right now.”

Katara nodded with a shuddering breath, then closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against his. They were still, just resting in the closeness for a moment.

“Thank you,” she murmured. She kissed him softly again.

Blinking the tears from her eyes, Katara reluctantly pulled herself away. She cleared her throat, then said, “Speaking of being here with you right now—I really shouldn’t be. We’re supposed to be keeping this a secret.”

She stood, intending on heading to the door.

“Maybe.” He caught her hand before she could leave. “But if you need anything, I’m here. There’s no reason a “friend” can’t come see another “friend” for advice or to talk something out. They won’t think it’s anything more than that.”

“That’s true. And Zuko?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks. Again.”

“Of course.”

“Do you think I should tell them? I mean, tell Aang and the others what really happened out there?”

He squeezed her hand. “Only if you want to. You don’t owe anything to anyone, Katara. But if you do want to tell them, I’ll be right there to support you. I do think they’ll understand, honestly, I do. I mean, Aang has gone into the Avatar state for less, hasn’t he?”

“Yeah. You’re right. Maybe I will…” Katara returned the hand squeeze, then walked to the door. “You’ve given me a lot to think about.”

“If you want to talk about this again, just say the word.”

“I will.”

When Katara left the room, she felt a new feeling of peace settle over her. Then, the buoyancy of the morning returned, even stronger than before, and she was filled with a sense that, even though they had yet to face the Fire Lord, somehow everything was going to turn out okay.

As she made her way to the kitchen to make lunch, she hummed.


	21. Chapter 21

A week into their stay at Zuko’s family vacation house, the group sat around a campfire on the beach drinking beer and wine that Sokka and Suki had picked up in town. Sokka had insisted on wearing his fake mustache and beard disguise, even though everyone else told him that it wasn’t necessary and, in fact, would only make him look _more_ suspicious. Miraculously, they’d returned with no problems and now everyone was enjoying some much-needed downtime after the long days of training.

Zuko had been pushing Aang hard to master firebending ever since they arrived at the beach house, the two benders training every day in the courtyard. Katara kept up with her waterbending practice too, but her sessions were rarely as long as Zuko and Aang’s, which meant she often ended up sitting on the courtyard steps and watching them. That suited her just fine, because they practiced shirtless and it gave her the perfect excuse to admire Zuko’s muscular chest and arms as he drilled Aang through the movements, a sheen of sweat making him glisten in the sun. Her biggest struggle—other than jumping him right there in the courtyard, propriety be damned—was making sure no one else saw her looking too closely.

Now on the beach, she observed Sokka and Suki cuddling and laughing across the fire, becoming more touchy-feely the more drinks they had. As Suki giggled and planted a kiss on Sokka’s cheek, Katara drained the last of her cup, needing something to distract her from the fact that all she wanted to do was throw herself into Zuko’s lap right now.

She was happy for her brother—Suki was amazing after all, probably better than her silly brother deserved—but seeing them together only made her wish even more that she and Zuko could be open about their relationship. The casual touches, the flirting, the sharing a bed at night with no one blinking an eye—she wanted all of it. But it would have to wait, and she knew that.

And so, she found herself sitting between Zuko and Aang around the fire, both of whom seemed to be too aware of her every movement. When she got up to get another drink, both of them leapt up at the same time to grab her a refill.

Toph, however, was closest to the wine bottle that Katara wanted.

“Here you go, Sweetness,” Toph said, pouring another glass for Katara. “Unless you’d rather have one of these boys fill it up instead? They seem pretty eager to do it.”

“I am perfectly capable of getting it myself!” Katara took the proffered cup from Toph’s hand. Aang and Zuko sank back down, looking embarrassed.

“How much is left in this bottle, Katara?” asked Toph, holding it in front of her unseeing eyes.

“About a quarter?”

“I might as well just finish that then, don’t you think?” Toph tipped it to her lips, starting to drink the rest straight from the bottle.

“Hey, maybe I wanted some.” Zuko protested.

Toph took the bottle out of her mouth with a popping sound. “Sure thing, princeling hotman, here you go.” She held out the bottle and grinned.

“I’m not having it now! You’ve been backwashing into it. And don’t call me that!”

Toph shrugged and took another swig. “Your loss. Although, if you ever wanted to come straight to the source…” She pursed her lips jokingly, as though getting ready for a kiss.

Katara stifled a giggle as Zuko began to look very uncomfortable.

“Don’t worry, we’ve got lots of booze!” Sokka announced, tearing his attention away from Suki and back to the wider group. So far, he was the most intoxicated of the bunch. “Hehehe, _princeling hotman_. I like it! Hey Katara, while you’re up, why don’t you grab another drink for the Agni-guy?”

“I don’t like these nicknames,” Zuko groused. “And I can get my own drink.”

“Well which one do you like better? Princeling hotman or Agni-guy? Or how about jerkbender? Hahahaha,” Sokka chuckled while Suki rolled her eyes and gave him an indulgent smile, before dissolving into giggles herself.

“None.”

Sokka ignored him. “Oh, oh I know! Let’s play a game of ‘Would You Rather’! Remember, Katara, remember? Like we used to play back home?”

Katara felt her face grow hot, thinking of the last time she’d played Would You Rather. Zuko, who had just finished filling up his beer, coughed mid-sip. Refusing to look at Zuko at all, Katara sunk back down to sit in her spot. She noticed Aang trying to stealthily sidle closer to her and she shifted her weight subtly away from him. But she didn’t want to get too close to Zuko either. It was too tempting. She wondered how she’d ended up in this terrible seating arrangement in the first place.

Sokka was getting excited now. “I’ll go first! SUUUKI! Would you raaaather… hey, you’re all out of drink! Would you rather have another beer or another wine?”

“Beer,” she replied.

“Okay! Now you have to do it!” commanded Sokka.

“Those aren’t the rules, Sokka.” Katara said, laughing.

“Yeah, I thought you just had to answer the question, not actually do the thing,” said Suki.

“Doo it! Do the thing!” Sokka said, leaning over to get her more beer.

“All right, all right,” she laughed, taking it from him. “My turn.”

The game continued for a while, and the drinks kept flowing until they were all feeling the effects. Katara breathed in deeply, loving the smell of the warm night and the ocean. Staring into the fire, she started to feel just a bit drowsy, and thought how nice it would be to just rest her head on Zuko’s shoulder for a minute. Without realizing it, she began to drift toward him.

“Waterbender!” Zuko’s voice came loudly beside her, jarring her to her senses. Katara sat up. “Would you rather go to sleep now or stay up and have fun with the rest of us?” The corner of his mouth was twitching in a smile.

Everyone laughed. Katara was relieved that no one seemed to have noticed that she’d been just about to cuddle with Zuko. Hopefully they all just thought she was too intoxicated to know what she’d been doing. And after all, she _was_ pretty intoxicated.

“Stay up. Stay up! I know how to have a good time!”

“I thought you hated fun?” Toph ribbed her.

“I do NOT! I’m fun! And it’s myyyy turn to ask the questions now. Sokka! Would you rather give up your fancy new sword or your trusty boomerang?”

Katara smirked as Sokka’s mouth fell open in outrage.

“Hey no fair! That’s an impossible question.”

“It’s totally fair,” Toph said.

“Sukiii, don’t let her make me choose! That’s like asking me to choose my favorite child.”

“Oh you have children? And when were you planning on telling me about this?” teased Suki.

“You know what I mean! It’s a totally unfair question.”

Katara said, “Just pick one, Sokka! Remember you started this game, after all. It’s your own fault.”

“Fiiine! Aarrrrghhhh. I’d toss away my boomerang, because…” Sokka paused for effect, “it would always come back to me!”

Katara rolled her eyes and laughed. “Cheater.”

“Aang!” Sokka ignored Katara. “Would you rather have me or Zuko here for a brother-in-law?”

“What?!” Katara exclaimed.

Aang blushed. “Does that mean would I rather marry Katara or Azula? Because that’s a pretty easy choice…”

“Nooo. Forget them.”

“Hey!” Katara said.

“Forget who you’re MARRYING. That doesn’t matter. Who would you rather _hang out with_ as your super awesome brother-in-law? It’s me, isn’t it? You can say me. I’m way more fun than Zuko.”

“Hey!” said Zuko.

“Am I wrong?!” Sokka demanded.

“Probably not,” Zuko grumbled. “But I have other qualities. Sokka can’t teach you to firebend. And I have a beach house.”

“I can teach you how to be good with the ladies though!” Sokka pulled Suki fully into his lap as she giggled and made a show of trying to push him away.

“But if you’re my brother-in-law, then I’m married to your sister anyway and I wouldn’t need any help with the ladies.” Aang said, having more wits about him than Sokka at this point.

“Ugh, minor detail,” dismissed Sokka.

“So who are you picking?” Zuko demanded, getting drawn into the question.

“I like you both,” Aang said diplomatically.

“Come on Twinkle-Toes, if Sokka had to pick between his precious sword and boomerang, you have to pick too,” said Toph.

“Okay. Then… I guess… Sokka.” Aang hurried on, “Sorry Zuko. I’m picking purely based on, um…” Now he looked at Katara and his cheeks turned bright red. “I mean…”

Katara felt all eyes on her but all she could do was giggle helplessly. With the amount of drinks she had in her, the whole thing just seemed hilarious.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to explain yourself. The important thing is that you picked the right answer,” Sokka said smugly. “Your turn!”

“I’ll get you back for that one Sokka,” said Aang. “Suki. Would you rather have to eat Sokka’s cooking for a week or have to make out with him while he’s wearing that horrible fake mustache and beard?”

Suki gasped in horror and laughed. “They’re both so awful!”

“How dare you!” Sokka said. “I’ll have you know that people think I’m quite dashing in that beard.”

“Yeah, as in _dashing_ in the other direction,” said Toph.

Everyone except Sokka broke down laughing.

When the commotion subsided, Suki made a disgusted face and said, “I guess I’d… make out with him in the beard. Your cooking really is atrocious.”

“Pfft. I think you _like_ the beard,” Sokka purred suggestively and waggled his eyebrows.

“Yeah, keep dreaming,” Suki replied. “Okay. I have a question for Toph AND Katara. We all know who _I’m_ kissing—against my better judgement sometimes,” she added as Sokka made kissy noises at her, “But you two. Would you rather kiss Aang or Zuko? Sorry, Sokka is off-limits.”

Katara blinked as her mind raced. How was she supposed to respond to _that?_

“Ahh, you guys don’t have to answer that,” Zuko said, rubbing his neck.

“Yeah, we don’t need to—” agreed Aang.

“No way, IT’S THE RULES!” Sokka broke in, enjoying everyone’s discomfort far too much.

“Zuko,” Toph said without hesitation.

Zuko buried his face in his hands so he didn’t have to look at anyone.

“How about you, Katara?” asked Suki.

Aang looked at her hopefully.

“I have to go to the bathroom!” Katara blurted, jumping up from her seat. “Keep playing without me.”

She practically bolted up the pathway from the beach to the house.

When she came out of the bathroom, she found Toph leaning against the wall outside.

“That was _not_ smooth, Sugar Queen.”

“Excuse me?”

“I know your little secret.”

“What are you talking about?” Katara laughed nervously.

“You and Zuko.”

“WHAT?! I mean…” she tried to make her voice sound casual, “Wh—what about us?”

“I know you’re together, dumb-dumb. Don’t bother denying it, either.”

Katara twirled a strand of hair in her fingers, wishing she could think more clearly right now. “Shit! How did you find out?”

“I can tell when people are lying, remember? And I can also tell when people’s hearts speed up every time the other person comes around. I couldn’t figure out why you were so mad at him, at first. But I pieced it together. It was the only thing that made sense. And now, it’s obvious you two made up and are hiding it from everyone. Aren’t you?”

“Damn it Toph! You shouldn’t just go around reading everyone’s minds, it’s creepy. Yes, fine, you’re right, yes we are together. I—I love him, okay?”

“Whoa, love? Jeeze Katara. Here I was about to congratulate you on finding yourself a little action on the side, and now you’re telling me you’re _in love_ with him?! Does _he_ know that?”

“Yes,” she said, hoping she didn’t sound too much like a lovestruck teenage girl.

“Ah well, good for you.” Toph sounded a little wistful. “I said I’d kiss him, and I stand by that, but I’m happy for you two. I’ll keep your secret.”

“Thank you Toph! Thank you, really. It’s important that Aang doesn’t find out for now.”

“I know you think so Katara, but I think you should just tell him.”

“What? No, I can’t. Not so close to the comet. He can’t afford to be distracted.”

“I think he can handle it. He’s grown a lot lately, you know. He’s more mature than you think.”

“I don’t doubt that, Toph. But I just… I think we should play it safe for now. Promise you won’t say anything?”

“Not a word.” Toph smiled wickedly, “But I can I just say, good job! I may be blind, but even I can see that Zuko is a hottie. Flameo hotman is _right_!”

“Toph!” exclaimed Katara, pretending to be scandalized—but she was actually pleased and flattered.

When they got back to the fire, the game had changed. Everyone was now playing Truth or Dare—at Sokka’s behest, naturally.

“Katarraaa, you’re back!” said Zuko happily.

“Katara’s baack!” Aang agreed.

The two of them were now sitting next to each other, clearing have shared some kind of bonding moment while Katara and Toph were away. Thinking it was probably better if she didn’t sit next to Zuko, as drunk as she was, Katara took a spot next to Aang. Toph sat beside her.

“Katara! You never answered who you’d want to kiss!” Sokka pointed at her dramatically before unsteadily swinging his finger around to Toph. “Toph said Zuko. I think we should make them kiss! Kiss, kiss, kiss!”

Toph bent a spattering of sand to drop onto Sokka’s head. “Shut it, loverboy. Just because you and Suki can’t keep your lips to yourselves doesn’t mean the rest of us have that problem. And Katara’s not answering the question so forget it. I already answered it. Next.”

Katara looked at Toph gratefully. It was nice to have the immovable earthbender on her side for once.

“You guys. Are no fun.” said Sokka, starting to hiccup. “Soooo, Zuko, truth or dare man?”

Zuko narrowed his eyes, wondering which option would get him into less trouble. “…Truth.”

“Okay. Okay okay okay. Remember when we saved my dad from that Fire Nation prison? We saw your sister there, remember? And her two friends? Tell us, for real, did you have a thing with either of them? That one girl seemed to have a thing for you.” Leaning away from Suki, he yell-whispered behind his hand to Zuko, “And I think the other one has a thing for me!”

Suki swatted him on the nose.

Zuko shot a guilty look toward Katara. She quirked an eyebrow.

“Uhh, well.” He cleared his throat. “Yeah. Her name is Mai. I… dated her. Briefly.”

“Oh, diid you?” Katara said, too inebriated to think better of calling him out in front of the group.

“But uh, it wasn’t really anything. And I broke up with her when I left the Fire Nation to come find you all!”

“I knew it!” Sokka said triumphantly. “Niiiiice.”

“Is that the one with the throwing knives?” asked Aang, miming the action of throwing something.

“Yeah,” Zuko replied, trying to covertly look at Katara to gauge her reaction to all of this.

“She is pretty!” said Aang brightly, holding up his hand to give Zuko a high-five. When Zuko reluctantly met his hand, Aang continued, “If a bit gloomy. Perfect for you!”

“Who says I like gloomy girls?” Zuko challenged.

“Well, you know… I just figured…” Aang trailed off, clapping Zuko on the shoulder.

Sokka chimed in, “Yeah! You’re really, um, what’s the word… sullen!” He nodded to himself authoritatively. “You can be sullen, you know, Zuko.”

“Yeah, well, that doesn’t mean I like gloomy girls all the time, okay? I happen to like, uh… nice girls. Yeah.” Zuko’s cheeks were turning pink with embarrassment.

“Nice girls?” Toph prompted, a knowing grin on her lips.

“Nice and, pretty—no, beautiful! I like girls that are kind and brilliant and talented and beautiful.”

Toph elbowed Katara in the ribs, until Katara hissed at her to stop. No one noticed.

“Aye, don’t we all,” agreed Sokka pensively while Suki smiled happily. “Aaaanywhoozle, who’s going next? I guess it’s your turn now Zuko.”

“Katara, truth or dare.”

“Dare,” she said, feeling bold. Thinking again of the last time they had played Would You Rather, her mind started going into all the possibilities of playing a private game of Truth or Dare with Zuko. She’d have to keep that in mind for another night.

“I dare you to go give Sokka a smack for everyone. Sober him up a little,” Zuko chuckled.

“Gladly,” said Katara menacingly, stumbling to her feet and across the circle.

“Whoa, hey, hey now! What’s with all the hate? I am the fun-times master here—none of you would be having _any_ fun without me around!” The pitch of his voice went higher, “I even got us the booze! Take mercy on me, oh sister of mine!”

“You wish,” Katara said, bending some water out of the ocean and gently smacking Sokka across the face with it. The best part was that his head got soaked in the process.

The game went around a few more times before it was Sokka’s turn again.

“Okay, Toph—truuuuth or DARE?” he asked.

“Dare. Duh.”

“I dare you… no, I dare ALL YOU GIRLS… to go skinny dipping. Right now!”

“You’re on!” Toph said.

“I didn’t agree to this!” protested Katara.

“I agreed for all of us! Anyway when’s the next time you’re going to get a chance to skinny dip on a Fire Nation beach, Sweetness? Well, _you_ might, but the rest of us won’t!” Realizing she’d just said something potentially revealing, Toph hurried on, “And I need you guys there to make sure I don’t drown! I’m blind and I can’t swim, remember? Let loose a little, come on.”

“Yeah, go skinny dipping!” Aang cheered, swaying where he sat next to Zuko.

Katara looked at Zuko for help, but he only smirked.

She said, “You know what, sure! We’ll have a great time skinny dipping right over there on the beach, and none of you boys are allowed to look.”

Aang gave her an up-and-down glance and swallowed heavily. Zuko watched her with a little grin playing at the corner of his mouth. Katara knew that look, and it made her stomach erupt in butterflies. But now certainly wasn’t the time for that.

“Come on, Toph, let’s go. Suki, are you coming?” Katara said, pulling Toph down to the beach.

Suki laughed and chased after them. “On my way.”

“Zuko! You’re in charge of making sure no one looks. On your _honor_!” Toph shouted over her shoulder, then threw back her head and laughed wildly.

The boys sat by the fire, listening to the shrieks and giggles of the girls as they plunged into the cool ocean water.

* * *

Back in her room, Katara still felt incredibly drunk. It had been such a fun night and she felt so lucky to have such an amazing group of friends to share it with.

As she lay in her bed, her thoughts kept going back to Zuko, tormenting herself with everything she couldn’t have right now. She imagined sitting between his legs in front of the fire. Pushing him down into the sand. Kissing that damn sexy smirk off his lips. Going skinny dipping with him.

Katara bit her lip. Heat suffused her body.

Everyone was probably passed out already. Would it be so bad if she were to just sneak over to his room for a little bit? No one would even notice.

Katara cursed her door when it creaked as she cracked it open. Sticking her head out, she looked up and down the hall for any sign of life. It was dark and quiet.

She crept across the house to Zuko’s bedroom.

Carefully, she opened the door and slid inside.

Zuko was in bed, shirtless and in pajama pants. He sat up when she came in.

“What are you doing here?” he hissed. Still, he couldn’t help but sound pleased.

“I had to see you. Everyone’s asleep, don’t worrrrrry,” she whispered, tiptoeing across the room to the edge of his bed.

Zuko swung his legs out of bed and stood, grasping her shoulders. “You should go back to your room.”

“You don’t want me here?” she pouted.

“You know I do! Fuck, do you have any idea how sexy you looked tonight? And I have to pretend like I don’t even notice! I love you in Fire Nation outfits. So… dare I say it… _hot._ ” He snaked a hand around her bare midsection. She hadn’t bothered to change out of her two-piece Fire Nation day clothes yet.

Katara sniggered at his bad pun, allowing him to draw her close.

“I bet you’ll love me even more _out_ of them.” She started trying to pull off her top.

Zuko grabbed her hands. “We shouldn’t. We agreed to hold off until after the comet.”

Katara stuck out her bottom lip.

“Did you really date that Mai?”

Zuko’s brow furrowed with deep concern and he ran a hand through his hair. “Yes. I… I thought you didn’t want me, Katara. If I had known, I never would have—well, a lot of things would have been different. But it’s like I said. I broke up with her when I left. She was… she was what was expected of me. And she was nice to me. Mostly. She cared about me, and I guess I needed that pretty badly.”

“ _I_ care about you. Did you…” her voice faltered. “Did you sleep with her? I just… need to know.”

“No. No, I couldn’t. We only really kissed, and even that… Well, every time I kissed her, I only missed you more.” He braced himself, “…Are you upset?”

“Not _upset_.” Katara shrugged unhappily. “But I don’t like the thought of you with anyone else.”

“I don’t want to be with anyone else. I love you.”

“Good,” Katara hummed. Her head was spinning a little. “Then you won’t mind if I help you forget about her…”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss before he could come up with a reply.

“You’re a really good kisser, you know that?” she exclaimed, forgetting to keep her voice low.

“Shhh. Katara, you have to be quiet.”

A mischievous twinkle came into her eye. “I can stay quiet… but will _you_ be able to?”

Feeling bold in her drunkenness, she sunk to her knees in front of him, pulling at his pants as she went.

“Wha—” Zuko sputtered. “What are you doing?”

“You’ll see.” Katara got his pants around his ankles and started kissing his upper thighs.

Zuko’s cock twitched eagerly.

“You’re drunk, waterbender.”

“So what? I know what I want.” She pushed him to sit on the bed, nestling herself on her knees on the floor. He had just enough time to think that he should probably stop her—it wouldn’t be good if they were caught—before the capacity for such thoughts was driven from his mind entirely. Grinning, she locked eyes with him, then licked slowly from the base of his cock to the tip.

His penis sprang instantly to full attention.

“Aaaah,” he moaned.

“Don’t be so loud,” she smirked, licking her way up his cock again.

Zuko’s hips bucked slightly, before he could rein in his control. The sensation was, all at once, incredibly pleasurable and a tease of what was to come. Lust shot through his body. No one he’d been with before had ever shown much interest in doing this—and he’d never pressed the subject. Now, here was his waterbender, his Katara, who he wanted and loved so badly that it hurt, willingly dropping on her knees for him. The idea alone was enough to drive him wild.

Still torturously slowly, she licked again, tasting him, feeling the smooth skin of his hard cock with her tongue. When she got to the tip, she swirled her tongue in a circle around it.

“That feels… so good,” he whispered.

Eyes wide and lips parted, Katara pulled back to study him with a teasing expression. He looked exquisite, all lean muscle, quivering with anticipation of her next move, his pupils blown wide as he watched her.

She began to plant sloppy, wet kisses on the head of his cock, taking just a little more into her mouth each time her lips came down.

“Fuuuuuck, waterbender.”

A loud knock came at the door.

Startled, Katara raised her head. Yet… she knew she _should_ be worried about being found out, but in her current state of inebriation she couldn’t help but think that it was just a little bit funny. And exciting. A buzz surged through her at the thought that whoever was on the other side of the door thought Zuko was alone and had no idea what she was doing to him right now.

Zuko, however, looked panicked.

“Who is it? What do you want?” he said in a strangled voice.

“Zuuuuko!” came Sokka’s voice from the other side of the door. “I want to talk strategy!”

“N-now?” Zuko motioned for Katara to go hide in the closet.

Katara grinned and held a finger up to her lips. Then, she dipped her head and took Zuko’s entire cock deep into her mouth. The sudden feeling of her mouth, slick and hot, enfolding his shaft ripped a groan from deep in Zuko’s throat.

Zuko cleared his throat loudly to cover all of the sounds he was trying desperately not to make. “Ahh, um, you want to do that _now?_ It’s, uhhh, not a good time. It’s late. Ddd-don’t come in here.”

She bobbed up, lavishing attention on the head of his cock and swirling her tongue over the sensitive tip, tasting the evidence of Zuko’s arousal before plunging back down. Zuko had to bite his lip to keep silent. He looked down at her and then immediately wished he hadn’t—because Katara was looking up at him, the embodiment of beauty, with her blue eyes seductive and playful, and her lush lips wrapped around his cock. The sight was more intoxicating than any amount of drink.

“Psssh, never too late to talk strattteeegy! Come onnnn, I have ideashh!” Sokka slurred.

Zuko could not handle this. He tried to gently push her off, but Katara only shook her head with his cock still in her mouth, then went back to her work of driving him delirious with her swirling tongue and deliciously hot lips.

He somehow managed to reply, “I… mmmm … ahh, I’m not feeling so good, man. Come… ahh, back in the mmm..mmorning.”

Katara started moving her head up and down faster, enthusiastically, increasing the suction with her mouth. Zuko gripped the sheets so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

“Yeah, you know, you don’t sounnd so good, buddy.”

Katara was thoroughly enjoying the way Zuko was falling apart under her attentions. She brought a hand to the base of his cock and curled her fingers around it, sliding her lips down further.

“Y..yyeah.” Zuko could barely get out the words. His brain was being overwhelmed with pleasure and the only thing he wanted to focus on was Katara’s maddening mouth. “Ahh, uhh, too mmmany drinks.”

“Sleep it off buddy! Okaaay, nighty night Zuko. Strategy sesh in the mooooorning!”

They could hear Sokka stumbling down the hallway back toward his and Suki’s room.

Zuko tipped his head back and closed his eyes, doing everything he could to contain another moan. His whole body tensed up, pleasure searing his synapses as the pressure built and built. He lost himself to the feeling completely, until nothing mattered but Katara’s mouth on him.

His hands fluttered gently through her hair, and then she felt his palm exerting light pressure on the back of her head, guiding her to just the rhythm that he needed. Katara felt lightheaded and tingly with excitement, happy to oblige.

She savored the sensations of his heavy cock in her mouth, her lips—just a little numb—fitting around it snuggly, her tongue tasting him. She sucked his cock messily, the alcohol making her sloppy. She loved the way he writhed and fought to hold in his noises; and it drove her to push him more, to see how much he could take and still keep quiet. She loved the way he looked, breath coming hard, muscles taut, losing himself in every swirl of her tongue and movement of her head. She loved being the source of his pleasure.

Panting hard, Zuko’s hips began to jerk. Knowing he was on the verge, she took him even deeper into her throat and swallowed around the smooth head of his cock.

Uncaring what he sounded like anymore, Zuko released a grunt from deep in his throat, which turned into a swear, and then her name. His hips snapped forward as he lost the last bit of control he had over his body. Katara felt the tremor race through him, and then he was spilling into her mouth, down her throat. She kept going, swallowing it up, drawing out every last bit of pleasure she could from him until he was shaking.

Katara looked up just in time to see the look of total adoration on Zuko’s face, before he crumpled backward onto the bed, gasping. Slowly, she sucked her way off his cock one final time, swallowing the last dribble of cum as she did.

Beaming impishly, her lips swollen, she slid onto the bed next to him.

When he was finally able to form coherent thoughts again, Zuko propped up on an elbow to look at her.

“How was it?” she asked innocently. “You really weren’t very quiet, you know.”

“Just you wait. I’ll get you back for this, waterbender.” His eyes danced dangerously but they were belied by the hazy smile plastered across his face.

“I look forward to it.”

Katara skipped back to her own room feeling delightfully wicked. Zuko wasn’t likely to forget about _that_ anytime soon. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone is wondering why Mai still helped them at Boiling Rock even though her relationship with Zuko is different in this AU, I chalk it up to her still really caring about him. Even though she could tell he wasn’t really into their relationship, she still grew up with him and didn’t want to see Azula kill him. She’s got a soft spot for him. I couldn’t find a way to work this info into the chapter naturally, so it’s here for anyone who might want to know.
> 
> Anyway... this chapter is pure self-indulgence on my part but I hope you enjoyed it too! This is one of my favorite chapters with its fluffiness. And does anyone else think drunk Sokka would be really fun to hang out with?


	22. Chapter 22

_~~~S3 E17: The Ember Island Players~~~_

Sokka had dragged them all to an unbelievably terrible play about their own adventures; it was little more than Fire Nation propaganda and the end couldn’t come soon enough… but unfortunately, right now was only the intermission.

Katara inhaled a deep breath of fresh air as she walked out onto the balcony, looking for Aang.

She knew why Aang was upset—in the play, much to her chagrin, the characters of her and Zuko were all over each other. It made her wish she wasn’t sitting next to Zuko for the performance, and they had both shrunk away from each other when the actors started going on and on about their torrid love affair. Just because it was true didn’t mean she liked seeing it show up in the play! It was mortifying. No one else was supposed to know about them, after all! Except Toph, who, when it had come up in the play, had downright cackled on the other side of her and punched her in the shoulder. And, maybe Iroh. But she was pretty sure neither of _them_ was the playwright.

Regardless of her own embarrassment, there was a bigger issue at hand. She couldn’t bear to have _this_ be the way Aang found out.

“Are you all right?” she asked, finding him standing at the edge of the balcony staring out into the night.

“No, I’m not. I hate this play,” Aang grumbled morosely, throwing off the hat he had been wearing to hide his tattoo.

“I know it’s upsetting, but it sounds like you’re overreacting.”

“Overreacting?! If I hadn’t blocked my chakra, I’d probably be in the Avatar state right now!”

“Come on, it’s not _that_ bad,” she said, attempting to improve Aang’s humor.

Aang did not take the invitation to lighten up, only becoming more serious. “Katara. Did you mean what you said in there?”

“In where? What are you talking about?”

“On stage. When you said I was just like a brother to you. And you didn’t have feelings for me.”

Katara fidgeted with the hem of her shirt. “I didn’t say that. An actor said that.”

“But it’s true, isn’t it?” Aang accused. “We kissed in those caves in Ba Sing Se. I told you I _loved_ you Katara, and you haven’t said anything about it. Not a word. I thought we would be together, but we’re not. At first I thought you just needed some time to think about it. But that’s not true, is it? And now I have to sit through this play and watch you make out with _Zuko_?!”

“I’m sorry Aang, but I can’t control what they are doing in the play, you know that.”

“Do you love me or not Katara?!”

“Aang, that’s not fair.”

“Why won’t you answer me?”

“Because we’re in the middle of a war and we have other things to worry about! This isn’t the right time for this conversation.”

“Well, when is the right time?”

“Aang, I’m sorry, but right now I just don’t want to talk about it.” Katara closed her eyes, wondering how long she could continue to deflect if Aang kept pushing her. And she felt guilty, knowing this conversation was hurting him—and knowing that she would end up hurting him a lot more when everything was said and done.

Unexpectedly, she felt a soft flutter of lips against hers. Her eyes sprang open to see Aang kissing her.

Katara recoiled in shock, shoving Aang backward at the same time. What the hell was he _doing_? Exasperated anger swelled in her chest.

“I _just_ said now isn’t the time! You can’t just go around kissing people without asking, for fuck’s sake!” Exhaling heavily through her nose, she tried to calm herself. “I want to be alone. I think you better go inside, Aang.”

She pointedly turned away from him to look out at the moon.

Aang’s face fell as he hastened away, muttering to himself as he went through the door, “Ugh! I’m such an idiot! Stupid, stupid.”

After a few moments, she heard a noise from behind one of the large wooden columns on the balcony. She turned to see Zuko appear from behind it, tentatively walking to join her at the edge of the terrace.

“Sorry, I was just looking for you but when I heard you talking to Aang, I didn’t want to interrupt. I didn’t mean to, um, lurk.” Zuko gave a self-deprecating smile.

“You heard all that?” A cold feeling swept over her. Déjà vu.

“Yeah.”

Katara braced herself. “Aang kissed me, just now.”

“I know.”

She looked at Zuko, her blue eyes big and fearful. “I am so sorry. Argh! He keeps surprising me. Are you upset? Last time…” she trailed off. “Please talk to me.”

Zuko turned to her. He wanted to take her hands and press them to his lips, to gather her up into his arms and shower kisses onto her head. But they were in public and none of that would be a good idea at the moment. Instead, he simply looked at her earnestly.

Seeing the open expression in his face, Katara relaxed a little.

“No. I trust you.” He sounded amazed at the admission. “I never thought I would be able to trust anyone. But I trust you.”

He looked pleased and a bit shy, even. Her heart welled up with joy, her eyes shimmering in the moonlight as she gazed upon him.

She glanced around to make sure there was no one else nearby, then whispered, “I love you so much.”

He still got a faint look of surprise on his face every time she said it, as though he couldn’t quite believe that it was real. It made her want to say it over and over until there was no doubt left in his mind that he deserved it.

They smiled at each other, longing to embrace.

“I do feel bad for the guy, though,” Zuko said.

“Who? Aang?”

“Yeah. I know what it’s like to love you so hopelessly and not be able to have you.” Zuko kept his voice low in case anyone inside was passing by the door. He fought to keep his hand by his side, instead of trailing his fingertips up the inside of her wrist like he wanted to.

“You have me now,” she said, leaning a little closer.

“And I’m thankful for that every day. I’m a lucky bastard.”

“It’s not luck. It’s _you_.”

Zuko didn’t know how to respond to that. He rubbed the back of his neck and grinned sheepishly.

Growing solemn, he said, “I still get cold shivers when I think about how I almost lost you.”

“Me too.” There was a long pause. “It was a near thing, you know. I was really mad.”

“If you hadn’t let it slip that you loved me, I don’t think I would ever have had the courage to tell you how I felt.” Zuko shuddered, though the ocean air was warm. It wasn’t something he liked to dwell on.

“I’m so glad you did. Honestly, I should have said something earlier, too. But maybe next time we have something important to tell each other, we can do it without so much drama, eh?”

Zuko smiled. “Yes, please. I can’t take that again.”

The twinkling of a bell rang out from inside the playhouse.

“Come on, let’s get back inside, I think this abysmal play is starting again.” Katara rolled her eyes, making Zuko chuckle. They made their way back inside.

* * *

That night, Katara lay in bed thinking about how they were going to break it to Aang, when the time came. No matter which angle she came at it from, it was not going to be easy.

 _Maybe I can try to get him interested in Toph instead. Make him forget all about me. Ugh, no, Toph isn’t into him though. But he’s so nice, and fun, and he’s the Avatar, I bet there are tons of girls who would like him,_ she mused aimlessly, having exhausted what felt like thousands of other ideas and ways of broaching the subject.

Her thoughts were interrupted when her door creaked open.

In the soft light from her window, she could see the outline of Zuko in the shadows. She’d know it anywhere.

“You’re not supposed to be in here. Did you come to give me payback for the other night?” she asked roguishly.

Zuko fidgeted with his hands, lingering just inside the door. “Ah. No.”

Katara sat up at the serious tone in his voice. “What is it?”

“I just had to see you, that’s all.”

“Well, come here then.” She held out her arms to invite him to join her in the bed. “What’s on your mind?”

He took a few hesitant steps toward the bed. Looking out the window instead of at her, he said quietly, “I was feeling, um, sad, I guess. Tonight at the play, we were talking about how close of a thing it was, us not being together. I felt like I had to come see you. To remind myself that this is real. Sometimes… sometimes I feel like I’ll open my eyes and this will all have been a dream.”

Zuko closed his eyes and grimaced, experiencing the false reality all too vividly in his mind.

“Oh, _Zuko,_ ” Katara breathed. She shuffled off the bed and went to him, wrapping her arms around him from behind.

“I’m sorry. I’m sure you don’t want to deal with this.”

“Deal with what? Of course I want to talk about this. I am here for you.” She planted a light kiss on his shoulder and kept her head there, hoping that he might draw some comfort from it.

Zuko shuddered, slumping as he fought off the tears threatening to well in his eyes. He settled his hands over hers and Katara immediately intertwined their fingers.

“You must think I’m pretty lame, huh? Or… _weak_. Just look at me. I’m happier than I’ve ever been and I’m still a mess.” His voice faltered as he spoke.

Katara squeezed her arms around him, as tightly as she could, tears now gathering in her own eyes. “If you’re a mess, then so am I. I _love_ you and it’s not a dream.”

They stood silently for a few moments, Zuko simply taking in her closeness.

Eventually he pulled away to turn and look at her, his face a contradictory combination of anguish mixed with devotion. “It’s just so hard to believe that you’re here, saying you love me. I know it’s true. I _know_ it is. I said I trusted you, and I meant it. But I know… I know I don’t deserve you and sometimes it feels unbelievable that you’d actually want me. Sometimes it’s like… there’s some part of me that can’t quite accept it, and that part of me is just waiting to find out it’s all been a sham or a trick, or… or that it was never real in the first place. I know that’s stupid, but…”

“It’s not stupid,” Katara said softly, cupping his face with her hands. “You’ve been hurt so many times. Of course you feel like that now. Loving is vulnerable, and it’s hard. It’s going to take some getting used to. But I’m not going anywhere, and eventually you _will_ believe it, even deep down. And until then, I’ll be patient. And tell you how much I love you all the time. You said you’d tell me you loved me every day. It goes both ways. You deserve everything, and one day I’ll make you believe it.”

Zuko pulled her into a desperate embrace, his shoulders shaking as his tears finally spilled. Katara’s heart went out to him and she hugged him back with all her might. She wished she could take all the pain of his past away and show him how worthy he was of love. But it was as she had said—nothing would do that except time.

After he had taken a few deep, shaky breaths, Katara began to press gentle kisses on his neck, then his jaw, then his cheeks.

“Let me love you,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck. She met his lips, kissing him softly, slowly. He held onto her as though he might become unmoored without her to anchor him to the present moment.

Katara didn’t know how long they kissed for, but eventually the kiss deepened, Zuko now kissing her in earnest. She got the sense that he was savoring her, and it seemed so familiar…

All of the sudden she flashed to that night in the inn, before the Ba Sing Se ferry. The way he had kissed her that night, the way he had touched her—she realized with a jolt that he had been trying, in the only way he could, to tell her how he felt. And she, too preoccupied with her own worries and insecurities, hadn’t heard him.

Well, she could hear him now.

“My love,” she muttered, pulling him toward the bed. Zuko obeyed, kissing her neck as she tugged him backward.

When they reached the bed, Katara pushed him down onto it first, then climbed on top of him. She straddled his hips with her legs and pressing her entire body against him, willing him to feel just how much she loved him.

One of his arms wrapped around her, while his other hand found its way into her hair.

“You’re so good to me,” he murmured, a smidgen of disbelief still in his voice. _How_ had all of his mistakes, his bad choices, his flaws, led to this, to her being here with him, wrapped in his arms?

“Because I love you,” she whispered, kissing the sensitive place where his jawline met his ear. Zuko shivered under her.

“I love you,” she whispered again, now kissing his mouth.

Zuko trembled. He felt exposed, as if his chest were open, his heart laid bare.

“I love you.” She kissed his chest.

Zuko closed his eyes and took a shuddering breath.

“I love you.” She gently pushed his shirt off.

“ _Katara_ —” he managed, more tears appearing in his eyes.

“Shhh,” she kissed her name off his lips. “I love you.”

She pulled off her own clothing and went back to kissing him, pressing her now naked body against him. She flicked her tongue across his lip and he opened his mouth to admit her.

His hand now traveled along her curves, finding a full breast and stroking it gently, then taking it in his palm. He admired the feel of it, so soft and just the right amount of heaviness.

Katara began to rock slowly, initiating a tiny bit of friction between them.

Zuko moaned into her mouth. When she pulled away to relieve him of his pants, she was met with two golden eyes, amorous and enraptured. She could feel how much he loved her like it was a physical thing. Her heart skipped a beat. No one else had ever seen him like this before—or made him _feel_ like this. He was so beautiful. So beautiful and sensitive and loving, and it made her ache to think that he’d been punished so harshly for it in the past. No more.

“I love you,” she murmured again.

“Katara, _please_ —” He felt like it was too much to handle.

“You’ll have to get used to hearing it.” She nibbled on his ear. “I love you.” 

His hands shook as he caressed her.

Smiling, Katara pushed off his pants and saw that he was extremely hard. But as she climbed back on top of him, he placed his hands on her hips and said, “Can you lie next to me? I—I want to be as close to you as possible…” He blushed in the darkness.

“Of course,” she uttered, kissing him again. “Sounds perfect.”

Lying beside him on the bed, she nestled herself against him like the perfect spoon, her back to his chest, her buttocks cradled in his lap. He enveloped her in his arms, clasping her to him and cocooning her in his warmth.

His cock pushed against her as he traced lingering kisses along the back of her neck and shoulders. She reached her hand around to run her fingers through his hair and pull him closer still.

“You’re flawless,” he murmured, punctuating his sentences with lingering kisses. “Never letting you go… can’t believe I get to have you… I _need_ you, Katara.”

“You’re wonderful. Handsome. Incredible. You make me feel so good. You’re all I want,” she whispered back, opening her legs and maneuvering herself onto his stiff cock.

Zuko emitted a husky groan as she sank onto him and slowly began to grind along his length.

As she moved, he wound his arms around her torso, one arm nestling between her breasts, a hand pressing against her shoulder, and the other snagged around her waist. He clutched her to him like he was afraid she might disappear yet. Katara found both of his hands with hers and interlaced their fingers, increasing the intimacy still further.

And it was, overwhelmingly, intimate. She could feel him all around her, against her, on her, _in_ her, like they were no longer two separate people but one transcendent being.

They rolled their hips as one, and Katara gasped with how deeply his cock penetrated inside of her in this position. It felt _so_ good. She began to release a series of moans with every movement, each more insistent than the last.

“Katara,” Zuko panted. “You have to be quieter. Someone will hear.”

She cut off mid-moan and chuckled. “Sorry.”

Guiding one of Zuko’s hands to her mouth, she said, “I have an idea to help me stay quiet.” Before Zuko knew what was happening, she wrapped her lips around one of his fingers and began sucking and swirling her tongue.

“Unnngh,” he groaned at the sensation, his head spinning. His cock pulsed inside of her, reminded of their excursions only a few nights ago.

She methodically took each finger into her mouth, humming little “mmmm” noises as she went. It drove Zuko crazy.

With his other hand, he reached between her legs and found her center of pleasure, rubbing it in time with his thrusts. He loved to pleasure her, and by now he knew just what she liked. Her response to his touch always inflamed his blood.

Katara moaned louder, the sound only slightly muffled by his finger in her mouth.

“Shhh,” he uttered in her ear, smiling. He increased his speed and kissed her everywhere his lips could reach.

Katara arched her back and vigorously met his pace. His cock plunged deep inside her and dragged against her inner walls, building maddening friction even as he spun his fingers over her clit.

Zuko was breathing rapidly, holding back his own release so he could match it with hers.

The tension in Katara’s body swelled to its breaking point, and her whole body grew rigid. Her thighs shook and quivered.

“I love you,” he whispered into her hair, and like a dam bursting, a flood of pleasure ripped through her from head to toe.

As she came, Zuko pushed into her. A shriek of ecstasy tore from her lips.

“Katara!” he hissed, but he could feel his own climax coming too. He used his free hand to cover her mouth and muffle the end of her scream. He felt her lips hot against his palm as she started to use her mouth to kiss his hand, instead of make sounds.

Then nothing mattered anymore, as his orgasm electrified his every nerve and drove all other sensibilities from his mind. He seized her hip and pulled her onto him again and again, riding out the wave of their orgasms until they were both breathless.

Quivering, they slowed gradually, the final pulses of joy sweeping through them.

When it was over, Zuko wrapped his arms all around her again and held her close against his chest. Katara sighed contentedly. He made her feel so treasured, so very loved. She resolved she would make him feel that way too, however long it took.

He pressed a light kiss into her hair. “Thank you.”

“You make me so happy…” she replied dreamily, soothed within the comfort of his arms and already floating into sleep on the aftermath of her climax. “Just in case you didn’t hear me yet… I love you.”

Zuko’s heart soared at her words. He tucked his face into the curve of her neck and held her as her breathing became deep and heavy.

At some point he pulled the blankets over them. He meant to go back to his own room, he really did, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave her side tonight. His last thought as he drifted to sleep was that he wanted to keep her in his arms forever.

* * *

Zuko rose with the sun—but he was the only one in the house who did. At dawn, he snuck out of Katara’s room with no trouble at all.

Emboldened by their successful late-night rendezvous—twice now, without being caught—Katara and Zuko started sneaking in little touches and kisses in the day, when no one was around. A kiss behind the column here, a touch of the hand in an empty room there, a covert squeeze on the buttocks when passing in the hallway. 

Katara knew they should probably be more careful, but she also knew that Aang wasn’t planning on fighting the Fire Lord before the comet anymore. She didn’t think she could possibly keep her hands off Zuko for however long it was going to take until Aang felt ready to face Ozai.

Besides, it was a bit of a mischievous thrill, sneaking around as they were. It felt like a small rebellion against the fixed idea of her that all of her friends had—motherly, nurturing, maybe even a bit uptight—and it was fun to have a secret naughty side that only Zuko got to see.

A few days later, Zuko was wandering along the beach enjoying the serenity of the morning sunrise, a time when all the world seemed at peace, when he saw a flash of red in the grass at the edge of the sand. Strolling closer, he saw three brilliant fire lilies in full bloom, turning their faces to the sun.

Smiling absently, he ran his finger along one, its petals soft and silky. He thought of how nice it would look in Katara’s hair. His first instinct was to take it and give it to her, but before he could pick the flower, he hesitated. He recalled the last time he had tried something like this, when he had given Mai a shell on the beach. She’d been thoroughly unimpressed; and as much as he hated to admit it, that had hurt his feelings a little bit.

_Am I about to make the same mistake again? It’s probably stupid. She probably wouldn’t like it. It’s too sappy._

And yet… Katara wasn’t Mai.

_Maybe she would like it. And it would look beautiful in her hair. In the very least, maybe she’ll appreciate the thought?_

Feeling foolhardy, he nevertheless plucked it gently and took it with him.

Later that day, Aang was practicing his earthbending with Toph, while Sokka and Suki were in the kitchen attempting to assemble lunch—well, Sokka was attempting and Suki was being very patient with him. He had some crazy idea about making dumplings out of sea prunes (which he’d miraculously found in the marketplace the day before) that he just _had_ to try out.

Zuko found Katara outside, just around the corner from the courtyard. Arching his eyebrow, he nodded at her to join him in a small alcove that housed a side door into the house (typically used for servants to come and go, in the beach house’s past life).

Grinning, Katara looked to make sure they were alone, then followed after him. As soon as they were tucked away inside the nook, she snaked her arms around his waist and pulled him in for a long, passionate kiss.

When she pulled away, she noticed that he was holding one hand behind his back.

“What are you hiding, firebender?”

Zuko hesitated. Now that the time had come to give it to her, he was even _more_ unsure about whether she’d like it. “I got you something.”

Katara smiled encouragingly. “What? Are you going to make me guess?”

He cleared his throat and produced the flower from behind his back. “Just a fire lily from the beach. I… uh… thought it might look nice in your hair.” Suddenly feeling stupid, he hurried on, “It’s fine if you don’t like it though. It’s not a big deal.”

Katara beamed. “I love it!” She took it from him and immediately planted it behind her ear. Zuko had been right. The vibrant bloom in her dark hair was stunning.

She bounded forward and kissed him again with delight.

“Well, good,” he grumbled, pleased.

“You’re so sweet!”

“I’m not. I’m an intimidating rogue fire prince and don’t you forget it.”

“Oh certainly. I tremble in my shoes at your approach, Your Fieriness.”

Zuko laughed and lifted her into his arms, pressing his lips against hers. He spun her until her back was against the wall and deepened the kiss as Katara ran her fingers through his hair.

_Thud._

The sound came from behind them.

Zuko released Katara and they both whirled around, hearts pounding.

There stood Aang, his face twisted in shock and devastation. The watermelon juice he’d been drinking lay in the dirt at his feet, spilling out in a puddle on the ground, forgotten.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe this story is almost over! How are there only two chapters left? 
> 
> Also another massive thanks for all the kudos and comments and bookmarks! I seriously cannot believe this thing has over 1200 kudos, holy shit you guys! So much love to you all!


	23. Chapter 23

“It’s not what it looks like!” Katara blurted, the words tumbling out of her mouth in rush. She flushed with guilt. _He wasn’t supposed to find out like this!_

Zuko ran his hands over his face, internally berating himself for being so careless. He remembered how he had felt when _he_ thought Katara wanted someone else—he braced himself for an attack. He doubted Aang would actually try to kill him (as he himself had so shamefully done) but he wouldn’t be surprised by a well-placed blast of air, either.

Aang clenched his hand at his side. “I’m not stupid, Katara! Stop treating me like a little kid! You think I don’t know what I just saw?”

Zuko said, “We can explain, Aang—”

“There’s nothing to explain. It’s pretty obvious what’s going on.”

“Aang, I’m sorry,” Katara said miserably.

She took a step toward him, but he backed away.

“Argh! You two… you… how long?”

Katara dropped her eyes to the ground. “Uhh. Well...” She hesitated, heartbeat in her throat. “Since we were on the road to Ba Sing Se together… sort of? It’s kind of… complicated.” 

“That long! Holy shit Katara! So, then, when we talked at the play… and when I told you I loved you in the caves… you were _already_ with _him_?! Him! _He_ was our enemy!”

“He’s not now,” she said unsteadily, thrown off-balance by Aang’s uncharacteristic anger.

“But he was! And you… you were with him when he was! He tried to _kill_ me.” Aang was shaking with emotion and for the first time, Katara was glad he couldn’t enter the Avatar state.

“She didn’t know I was going to do that,” Zuko said quietly, feeling a rush of shame all over again.

“Oh, I guess that makes it better then!” Aang spat. He took a deep, steadying breath. “Why didn’t you just tell me?! Spirits, I must have seemed like such an idiot!”

“It wasn’t that straightforward!” Katara didn’t want to get into the details right now.

“And we thought it wouldn’t be a good idea to tell you before you faced my father,” Zuko added. He was amazed at Aang’s relative composure, all things considered. Even having caught them red-handed, the airbender was still willing to talk.

Katara said, “We didn’t want it to distract you. I didn’t want you to get hurt! I’m so sorry, Aang. I never wanted you to find out like this.”

Aang looked at her with wide, injured eyes. “You knew I loved you, and you just let me go on _hoping_ , when there was no chance?”

“Oh, Aang.” Katara felt the prickle of tears. This time when she went toward him, he stayed put. She wrapped her arms around him, but he was stiff and unmoving. “You already carry so much on your shoulders. I didn’t want to add to it. We were going to tell you, we were.”

Aang didn’t return her embrace, but he didn’t draw away, either. Zuko hovered awkwardly behind them, wondering what he should do. He didn’t want to make the situation worse.

“Aang, say something, please,” she pleaded, releasing him from the one-sided hug and holding him by his shoulders.

“What do you want me to say?! That I feel like my heart is breaking? That it hurts like hell to find out two of my friends have been lying to me? That _you_ have been lying to me. What, exactly, is it that you want me to say right now? Damn it, Katara, I wish you’d just told me instead of going around behind my back!”

Katara stumbled back a step, feeling struck by his words. She felt _awful_.

Zuko approached Aang tentatively, his shoulders slumped with guilt. “I’m sorry, Aang. It’s my fault too.”

Aang glared at him, but before the airbender could respond, Toph came around the corner with a watermelon juice in her hand.

“Hey, you dropped your juice, Twinkle-Toes.”

All three turned at the sound of her voice. Toph stopped in her tracks, taking in the scene before her. Their heart rates were through the roof, and she could feel by their body language that something major was going on.

And she was pretty sure she knew exactly what that was.

Toph presented her watermelon to Aang, stammering, “Uhh… you know what? It’s okay, though. You can have mine!”

“I don’t want it,” Aang said, starting to walk away.

“Aang, please!” Katara followed him.

“Sooooo, the water prune dumplings did _NOT_ turn out. Like. At all,” came Sokka’s voice as he and Suki rounded the corner.

“Yeah—we’re going to need to figure out something else for lunch,” Suki laughed.

“Whoa! What’s with all the long faces?” Sokka tilted his head when he saw them. Aang wouldn’t meet anyone’s eye, and had a bleak, hurt look on his face. “Were you _that_ excited for my water prune dumplings? See, Suki?! I’ll just have to try making them again.”

“This isn’t about your stupid dumplings, Sokka!” Katara snapped.

“Well what’s going on then?” Sokka replied.

Katara shot Aang a worried glance.

Suddenly, Aang didn’t want to be around anyone. He felt embarrassed and foolish; he couldn’t bear to have their eyes bore into him, watching his reactions with concerned looks on their faces. He didn’t want their empty condolences or their pity. And, he was mad.

Striding away, he called over his shoulder, “Some of us are just finding out that Katara’s been making out with Zuko for the past month!”

“Wait!” Katara called after him.

“Leave me alone! Everyone!” With that he air-bent himself away, seeking solitude somewhere beyond their reach.

“Wait, WHAT?!” Sokka said, his voice raising an octave. He turned to Katara and Zuko, his eyes practically bugging out of his head.

“This is completely new information to me!” Toph said. Suki gave her a suspicious glance.

Sokka pointed at Katara, then Zuko, “You?! And… and _him?!”_

Zuko looked like a deer in headlights.

Katara put her hands on her hips, daring Sokka to confront her. “Yes, that’s right, Sokka! Me and Zuko!”

“My _sister_ and the… the _prince_ of the _Fire Nation?!_ ”

“Former prince,” said Zuko.

“The. Fire. Prince.” Sokka repeated, ignoring Zuko. Sokka looked like he might have a heart attack. “Flying hog monkeys!”

“I can see it,” Suki mused, giving Katara an encouraging smile.

Sokka continued, “Whaaa? Why? How? You couldn’t stand him when he first got here, Katara!”

Katara stomped her foot. “Feelings can change, Sokka! And where do you get off being all high and mighty? You and Suki kiss in front of me all the time and I never got all up in arms about it!”

“That’s different!” Sokka retorted.

“No it’s not!”

“Suki isn’t the fire prince!”

Toph said, “He’s got you there.” She took a noisy sip of her watermelon juice.

“Former fire prince,” Zuko repeated.

“My own sister! What would Gran-Gran say? What will _Dad_ say?! Or is this just some fling that you were hoping no one would find out about?”

“It is _not!_ And I don’t care what anyone says! They can say whatever they want and so can you, but Zuko and I are together so you’re just going to have to deal with it!”

In spite of everything that was happening, Zuko felt a small rush of happiness at Katara’s words.

“And you!” Sokka rounded on Zuko, standing inches away from him.

“I thought you liked me now, Sokka.” Zuko said, backing up a step.

“Well, I do. But don’t change the subject! Listen here, fire prince or not, if you—"

“If you’re going to tell me that you’ll kill me if I hurt her—”

“No, I was going to say that _she’ll_ kill you if you hurt her.”

“I know,” Zuko said. “I won’t.”

“Toph, is he lying?” Sokka arched his eyebrow skeptically.

“Nope.”

Sokka narrowed his eyes.

“Sokka,” Zuko said seriously. “Do you not want Katara to be with me?”

“Not that that would stop us!” huffed Katara.

Suki put a hand on Sokka’s arm, urging him to be reasonable. “Sokka.”

Throwing up his hands, Sokka said, “Ennnngh. No, you’re all right, Zuko. But why’d you have to be the fire prince?”

“Will you shut up about the fire prince thing?!” Katara was getting exasperated.

“I absolutely will not. Oh!” Sokka looked like a lightbulb just went off in his head. “Wait! If I’m the Fire Lord’s girlfriend’s brother, do I get any honorary titles? Special privileges? _Do I get my own room at the fire palace?!_ ”

“He’s not the Fire Lord, Sokka!” Katara said. She wondered if it would be overkill to just knock him unconscious.

“So, you’re okay with it?” Zuko asked. “Your friendship is important to me.”

Sokka shrugged. “I guess it’s better than Katara kissing old King Bumi. Or one of those swamp hillbillies.”

“Really? _That’s_ who you’re going to compare me to?!” Zuko crossed his arms and scowled. As tense as Katara was, she couldn’t help but giggle at his grumpy expression.

“I said you were better!” Sokka defended himself.

“But I’m on the same scale?” Zuko’s frown deepened.

“Guys, I think you are forgetting the most important thing here,” interrupted Toph.

“More important than having my own room—no, my own WING—at the fire palace?!”

“Aang is upset.” Toph stated.

“Oh. Right.” Sokka instantly became subdued.

* * *

No one saw Aang the rest of the day, or the day after. The next evening, long after the sun had set, Katara finally found him, sitting by himself on the dock gazing pensively out across the water.

When she sat down next to him, he didn’t even look at her.

“Hey Aang,” she said quietly.

“Hey.”

“How are you?”

“Okay.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not really.”

Katara nodded. “Okay, we don’t have to. Can I stay?”

“I won’t stop you.”

Katara swung her legs slowly, her feet skimming the cool water as they sat in awkward silence in the darkness. She tried to think of something she could say but all the words that came to mind seemed horribly inadequate. And she didn’t want him to feel like she was patronizing him again.

After a time, Aang broke the silence himself. “I’m just sad, Katara. I’ll be fine.”

“Well, it matters to me if you’re sad, Aang.”

“Thanks.”

The silence stretched on before Aang spoke up again.

“You and Zuko. You guys are two of my closest friends. My bending teachers. I... I _want_ to be happy for you, I do. I guess I just need some time.”

“Take all the time you want. No one expects you to just be fine about it in a day.”

“Right.”

Katara put a hand on Aang’s arm, squeezing it. “I still care about you so much, I hope you know that.”

“Yeah. But it’s not the same.”

“No, it’s not. I’m sorry.”

Aang stared forward for another moment before turning to face her and covering her hand with his own.

“You don’t have to keep apologizing. You shouldn’t have to apologize for how you feel. I’ve been thinking a lot since yesterday. At first I was really angry. It didn’t seem right that some other guy—a guy who used to be our enemy, especially—could just swoop in and take you away from me. Ever since you found me in the iceberg, I thought you were going to be my forever girl. And honestly, I still don’t understand why… how you could pick him and not me. But I’ve been meditating, you know, to help me recenter myself. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I was just projecting my own feelings onto you, without really considering how _you_ felt. And that wasn’t really fair of me.” Aang let out a shaky breath. “I just wish you had told me sooner. Then I could have started moving on sooner. I could have handled it, Katara.”

“Yeah. I see that now. Can I apologize for that, at least?”

The ghost of a smile crossed Aang’s lips. “Yeah. You can apologize for that.”

“Aang, I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. That was shitty of me.”

“You’re forgiven, Katara. Or, at least, you will be. Maybe not right this instant.”

Katara looked at him with a small sad smile. “You know, you really are an amazing person, Aang. And it has nothing to do with being the Avatar.”

“Thanks, Katara. I think… I think I want to be alone for a bit longer, now.”

* * *

_~~~S3 E18: Sozin’s Comet – Part 1 to S3 E19: Sozin’s Comet – Part 2~~~_

Soon after, events began to spiral quickly out of control.

When Zuko found out that Aang wasn’t intending to face the Fire Lord before the comet, he told them about his father’s ruthless plan to use the comet’s power—which would give the firebenders the strength and power of a hundred suns—to rain fire and destruction upon the Earth Kingdom, permanently obliterating it and all its people.

Aang, anxious about the timing and distraught because killing the Fire Lord would go against his morals, simply disappeared one night not long after. Although they looked everywhere, even going to the Earth Kingdom to enlist the bounty hunter June and her shirshu, he was nowhere to be found.

When it was clear they would not be able to find Aang, Zuko decided they should seek out Iroh instead. Iroh always had good advice. Iroh always knew what to do. On top of that, Iroh was an incredibly powerful firebender—possibly the only person other than Aang who had a chance of defeating the Fire Lord.

But Zuko hadn’t seen his uncle since Iroh was in the cell in the Fire Nation. He had never gotten a chance to apologize for betraying him. And if Katara’s reaction was anything to go by, Iroh would _not_ be happy to see him. The thought filled him with anguish. Iroh was the one person who had always been there for him, always believed in him. And he’d repaid that devotion with treachery.

* * *

It was night when they arrived at the White Lotus camp in the Earth Kingdom, where June’s shirshu had led them in their search for Iroh.

Zuko now sat outside his uncle’s tent, afraid to go inside, dreading what Iroh would say. How would he react to seeing the nephew who—after everything he had done for Zuko—had gotten him thrown into a Fire Nation dungeon to rot? Who had turned on him at the critical moment.

Katara came up behind Zuko. “Are you okay?”

“No, I’m not okay,” he grimaced. “My uncle hates me, I know it. He loved me and supported me in every way he could. And I still turned against him. Just like… just like I did to you. How can I even face him?”

Katara settled herself on the ground next to him and took both of his hands in hers. “Zuko, you’re sorry for that you did, right?”

“More sorry than I’ve been about anything in my entire life. Along with hurting you.” He squeezed her hands tightly.

“I forgave you, didn’t I? He’ll forgive you too. He will.” She shuffled closer and put her arms around him. Zuko leaned his forehead into her shoulder.

“You didn’t want to forgive me, though.”

“That’s not true. I missed you and I still loved you and I was angry with you. But mostly, I didn’t want to get hurt again.”

“My uncle will be angry with me too.”

“Maybe. But if he cares about you as much as I know he does, then he still loves you and wants to see you again, too. He’ll be so proud once he finds out everything you’ve been doing. I know he will.”

Zuko nodded and closed his eyes as Katara hugged him and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. Then he stood, pausing before the tent’s opening and taking a deep breath to steel himself for what was to come.

Katara watched him duck his head and enter the tent, taking a steadying breath herself. Whatever happened, she would be here for Zuko, lending him whatever support he needed. Just as he had done for her when she needed closure about her mother.

The tent was dark. As he entered, Zuko announced himself tentatively, “Uncle…”

_Snooooooooooore. SNORE. Snoooooore._

A fond smile crossed Zuko’s lips at Iroh’s loud snoring. It reminded him of all the time they’d spent traveling together. Not wanting to wake him, Zuko sat on the mat by the entrance and waited. He closed his eyes and thought of what he was going to say when Iroh woke up.

* * *

The sun was beginning to crest the horizon, its golden rays filtering through the sky, when Iroh awoke. Like any good firebender, he was a morning person. His back still to Zuko, he stretched and released a wide yawn.

Zuko’s heart raced. Grimacing, he took the plunge. “Uncle. I know you must have mixed feelings about seeing me.”

Iroh froze but did not turn to look at him. Zuko hung his head in shame. Tears filled his eyes, then spilled down his cheeks.

His voice grew hoarse as he pushed onward, “But I want you to know, I am so, so sorry Uncle. I am so sorry and ashamed of what I did. I don’t know how I can ever make it up to you, but I—”

Before he knew what was happening, Iroh had turned and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug. Tears streamed down Iroh’s face.

“How can you forgive me so easily? I thought you would be furious with me.”

“I was never angry with you. I was sad because I was afraid you’d lost your way.”

“I did lose my way.”

“But you found it again.” Iroh pulled away to look at Zuko, his face brimming with pride and love. “And you did it by yourself. And I am so happy you found your way here.”

Iroh embraced Zuko again and Zuko felt all his fears drain away. A warm glow, full of acceptance, love, and joy, permeated his soul. _This_ was what unconditional love felt like.

“It wasn’t that hard, Uncle. You have a pretty strong scent.”

* * *

Katara was awake uncharacteristically early in the morning. Zuko hadn’t returned to their tent all night and she’d woken up several times missing his warmth. She wondered whether he’d been able to reconcile with Iroh yet. Had they been awake all night hashing things out?

As soon as she was up—which, although early for her, wasn’t early by firebender standards—she made her way to Iroh’s tent. She found Zuko and Iroh sitting in front companionably, eating breakfast and soaking in the early morning sun.

Her face broke into a huge grin. Seeing her coming toward them, Zuko grinned back.

“Iroh!” she exclaimed as she approached.

“Ah, Katara! It is good to see you again, my dear,” Iroh said, standing to greet her.

“You too!” She went to put her hand on his shoulder, but Iroh pulled her into a hug.

“My nephew tells me some very interesting stories about his adventures, since I saw him last.”

“He’s been a great help to us all,” Katara beamed.

Iroh smiled proudly, before his face took on a more serious expression. “He is extremely fortunate that you forgave him.”

“Uncle…” Zuko said.

Iroh went on, “You must care about him a great deal.”

“I do. I love him.”

“That is good. Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit. It makes me happy that you have found joy in each other. And you will need each other, in the days to come. I am pleased that my nephew has you by his side, Katara.”

Zuko wanted to hide his face. “Uncle, stop talking about me like I’m not right here!”

“I won’t leave his side,” Katara assured Iroh.

“When I see you together, I can tell that he would move mountains for you. You may already know this,” Iroh leaned in conspiratorially, his eyes sparkling with knowing amusement, “but my nephew can be, ah, _very determined_ , when something really matters to him. There is no obstacle he would not overcome for you, my dear.”

“Enough of this!” Zuko, his face bright red, marched off in an embarrassed huff.

Katara fell apart into pleased laughter at Zuko’s exit. When she regained her ability to speak, she said, “Don’t worry, Iroh, I know what I have. I am very grateful for it.”

Iroh smiled. “You may call me ‘Uncle’ from now on, if you would like.”

Now it was Katara’s turn to blush. “Oh. Well. We’re not—um. Okay… _Uncle_.”

* * *

Later that day, the gang sat around a small cooking pot, sharing lunch with Iroh and discussing their plans.

Zuko was speaking, “Uncle, you’re the only person other than the Avatar who can possibly defeat the Father Lord.”

“You mean the Fire Lord,” Toph said.

“That’s what I just said.”

“Hmmm,” contemplated Iroh.

Zuko continued, “We need you to come with us!”

“No, Zuko. It won’t turn out well,” Iroh said resolutely.

Katara felt a twinge of alarm. She had been counting on Iroh to come help them when they went to the Fire Nation.

Zuko pressed on, “You can beat him. And we’ll be there to help.”

Iroh said, “Even if I did defeat Ozai—and I don’t know that I could—it would be the wrong way to end the war. History would see it as just more senseless violence. A brother killing a brother to grab power. The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord.”

“And then. Then would you come and take your rightful place on the throne?” Zuko beseeched.

Katara watched Iroh’s face carefully. She and Zuko had discussed at length that it made the most sense for Iroh to take over the Fire Throne. After all, it _should_ have been his all those years ago. And he was kind and wise—he would make a good Fire Lord. She didn’t like what she saw in Iroh’s expression now. 

“No. Someone new must take the throne. An idealist with a pure heart. And unquestionable honor.” Iroh held Zuko’s gaze firmly. “It has to be _you_ , Prince Zuko.”

Zuko’s eyes went wide in shock.

Katara glanced at Zuko in a panic, her heart suddenly sinking. Zuko, the next Fire Lord? Of course, he would be an amazing Fire Lord, just as Iroh said. But she had been so sure that Iroh would accept the duty and set everything right himself.

_And if Zuko is Fire Lord, where does that leave me…?_

“‘Unquestionable honor?’” Zuko repeated sadly. “But I’ve made so many mistakes.”

“Yes. You have. You struggled, you suffered. But you have always followed your own path. You restored your _own_ honor, and only _you_ can restore the honor of the Fire Nation.”

Katara felt like grabbing Iroh and shaking him, begging him not to make Zuko be the Fire Lord. Imploring him to take the mantle himself instead. But she knew she couldn’t do that, for all that she was afraid of what it might mean for her and Zuko’s love.

Zuko closed his eyes for a moment, opening them with determination set on his face. “I’ll try, Uncle.”

Katara felt like a vice was closing in around her heart.

Toph asked, “Well, what if Aang doesn’t come back?”

“Sozin’s comet is arriving and our destinies are upon us. Aang _will_ face the Fire Lord,” Iroh said. “When I was a boy, I had a vision that I would one day take Ba Sing Se. Only now do I see that my destiny is to take it back from the Fire Nation, so the Earth Kingdom can be free again.”

Suki said, “That’s why you gathered the members of the White Lotus.”

“Yes.” Iroh paused. “Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation so that when the Fire Lord falls, you can assume the throne and restore peace and order. But Azula will be there waiting for you.”

“I can handle Azula.”

“Not alone. You’ll need help. I believe there is someone here who promised to stay by your side?” Iroh sipped his tea significantly.

Katara drew herself up. Now was not the time for anxieties or worrying about what the far future would hold. She would have to deal with the realities of Zuko being the Fire Lord when he _was_ the Fire Lord. The first step was making sure that happened. And that would require a sharp focus on the task at hand.

Zuko turned to Katara, “Katara. How would you like to help me put Azula in her place?”

She smiled wolfishly. “It would be my pleasure.”

From across the circle, Sokka asked, “What about us? What’s our destiny today?”

“What do _you_ think it is?” prompted Iroh.

“I think that, even though we don’t know where Aang is, we need to do everything we can to stop the airship fleet.”

Toph added, “And that means, when Aang does face the Fire Lord, we’ll be right there if he needs us.”

Iroh smiled and inclined his head.

The plans were in motion. There was no turning back now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only one chapter left!! Excuse me while I bawl over here.
> 
> BUT, I am thinking that maybe I'll write an epilogue. It's not written yet, so it probably won't come out 4 days after Chapter 24, but it's something to look forward to :) . 
> 
> Anyway - what did you guys think of Aang and Sokka's reactions? I had fun writing them!


	24. Chapter 24

_~~~S3 E20: Sozin’s Comet – Part 3 to S3 E21: Sozin’s Comet – Part 4~~~_

A Fire Nation dignitary held the traditional flame headpiece of the Fire Lord above Azula’s head as she knelt, surrounded by other high-ranking officials in front of the empty palace courtyard on the eve of Sozin’s comet. The sky was dark, streaked with angry foreboding red.

“By decree of Phoenix King Ozai, I now crown you Fire Lor—”

Seeing a large flying animal coming directly toward them, the dignitary hesitated.

“What are you waiting for, do it!” Azula spat.

Appa, carrying Zuko and Katara, landed with a thump in front of the stairs leading up to Azula.

“Sorry, but you’re not going to become Fire Lord today.” Zuko leapt off Appa’s back to land solidly on the ground. “I am.”

Azula tittered. “You’re hilarious.”

Katara joined Zuko at his side, exactly where she promised she’d be. “And _you’re_ going down.”

At a loss for what to do, the dignitary leaned forward to finish putting the crown on Azula’s head.

“Wait,” Azula said, in the tone that brooked no argument. She sneered at Zuko. “You want to be Fire Lord? Fine. Let’s settle this. Just you and me, brother. The showdown that was always meant to be. Agni Kai!” Her eyes widened, too far, and glittered with some kind of madness.

Zuko bared his teeth. “You’re on.”

Katara turned to Zuko in fear as the edges of Azula’s mouth turned up in a wide, uneven grin.

“What are you doing?! She’s playing you,” Katara hissed. “She knows she can’t take us both so she’s trying to separate us.”

“I know, but I can take her this time.”

“But even you admitted to your uncle that you would need help facing Azula.” Katara understood that Zuko had a lifetime of hurt to take up with Azula, but now was _not_ the right time. They couldn’t afford any mistakes just because Azula knew how to get under his skin.

“There’s something off about her. I can’t explain it, but she’s slipping.” Zuko gently put a hand on Katara’s cheek, “And this way, no one else has to get hurt. I can’t bear to see you hurt, Katara. Let me to do this.”

Katara narrowed her eyes, but she could see in Zuko’s expression that he wasn’t going to budge on this. Trying to swallow her dread, she nodded uncertainly. She trusted Zuko, and if he felt he had to do this then she wouldn’t push it. But she _would_ be ready.

“Ohhh, isn’t this sweet,” came Azula’s mocking voice. “I see what’s going on here. My _gallant_ brother Zuzu wants to protect his filthy peasant bitch. Spirits, Zuzu, you are so predictable.” She looked over Katara disparagingly. “You’ve got my pathetic brother wrapped around your finger, don’t you? I knew all it would take was for some little whore to open her legs for him, and... well, it looks like I was right. But a _peasant_ whore? Not even Fire Nation? That surprises even me. I thought you had _standards_ , Zuzu.”

Katara glared at Azula, willing herself not to let the words get to her. Of course Azula would say such things—it didn’t make any of it true. Zuko still loved her even though she wasn’t Fire Nation. That didn’t matter to him.

_But would it matter when he became Fire Lord?_ whispered a tiny voice in the back of her mind.

Zuko barked, “Shut up Azula. She doesn’t have to listen to your vitriol. And neither do I, anymore. Agni Kai. Now.”

* * *

Zuko and Azula stood at opposite ends of the courtyard under the scarlet sky, crouched, ready to begin their final Agni Kai. The courtyard was ringed by empty spectator stands; Zuko had tried to convince Katara to watch from one of them, but she refused, insisting on standing off to the side behind him. She intended on being ready to step in at the first sign of things going Azula’s way.

_I’m not going to lose Zuko today,_ she promised herself as the fire prince and princess began to rise.

“I’m sorry it has to end this way, brother,” Azula said, slouching off her cape and dropping it unceremoniously to the ground.

“No, you’re not.”

Azula began the Agni Kai, blasting a column of blue flame at Zuko even as he finished speaking. Zuko’s red flames met hers, engulfing the entire courtyard in an inferno. The comet was lending tremendous power to their bending, fueling their fire like never before. Katara shrank further back, away from the blazing heat. She was at the ready with her waterbending, whether she needed it for defense or to show Azula exactly what a _little peasant whore_ could do.

The royal siblings traded blows, neither getting the upper hand for a long time. Flames danced through the courtyard and spilled onto all of the surrounding buildings, seeming to set the whole Fire Nation capital on fire.

Finally, Zuko hurled a powerful blow that caught Azula off guard, knocking her across the pavement.

“No lightning today?” he taunted as she regained her footing. “What’s the matter? Afraid I’ll redirect it?”

Azula’s unevenly chopped long hair dangled in a mess around her face as she rose. She was wavering slightly on her feet. “Oh. I’ll show you lightning!”

She began to pull the energy from the air, building to the critical mass needed to release a devastating bolt of lightning. Zuko firmed his footing, getting ready to redirect it. He took a deep breath and tried to allow himself to feel loose and fluid, like a waterbender. Behind him, Katara waited with bated breath.

Azula flourished, making Zuko guess when she would unleash the lightning. At the final instant, her gaze darted to Katara and her mouth curled into a cruel smile. White-hot lightning sprang from her fingertips, on a direct path for the waterbender.

As the lightning flashed toward Katara, she felt stuck in place, unable to move, unable to bend; it closed the distance with merciless speed.

“No!” Zuko screamed.

He felt as though everything was happening in slow motion from the instant the lightning left Azula’s fingers. All he knew that he had to protect Katara, his beautiful, brave, brilliant waterbender, at all costs. She mattered more than anything else in the world. He would do anything for her. Die for her.

With uncanny speed, he ran and leapt in front of the lightning as it streaked from Azula toward Katara, desperate to put his body between her and the blast.

Katara watched in horror as he jumped in front of her and caught the bolt squarely in his chest, taking all of the lightning into his body and blocking her completely. His arms moved as he tried, still, to redirect it while flying through the air, but it was impossible. The energy rushed through him and he crashed to the ground in a boneless heap.

Katara’s heart palpitated wildly and her mouth went dry. Bile rose in her throat even as it closed up. _No, no, no, no, no_. Her mind was stuck in a loop of shock and terror.

Lightning sparked over Zuko’s body for a split second, then shot into the sky in a dazzling flash of light. He curled into the fetal position, his body twitching fitfully.

“Zuko!” Katara tried to run to him but Azula cut her off with another lightning blast, laughing uncontrollably.

Katara fled the lightning, then dashed out of the way of Azula’s furious onslaught of blue fire, using her waterbending to deflect wherever she could.

In excruciating pain and barely able to form coherent thought, Zuko groaned. He tried to push himself off the ground but collapsed again from the effort.

_I have to protect Katara._ He held fast to the thought. Forcing his head up, he reached out his hand and willed fire to spring from his palm, to no avail. He crumpled, his whole body shaking and spasming.

Katara bit back a cry and attempted to sprint toward Zuko again, but she was forced to dodge out of the way as her path was engulfed by blue flames.

From the rooftop of one of the spectator stands, Azula jeered and gathered more lightning, “I’d really rather our family physician look after Zuzu, if you don’t mind.”

This time when the bolt came, Katara was ready. She diffused it with waterbending, then took cover behind some columns from Azula’s continuing eruptions of blue fire. It was all she could do to avoid Azula’s attacks, supercharged by the comet as they were.

If she was going to win this, she needed to be clever. And she _had_ to win this, to have any chance of saving Zuko.

“Zuzu, you don’t look so good,” Azula mocked with smug satisfaction. “And you, whore. You think you’re good enough for Fire Nation royalty? How dare you. Even my traitor brother—or, I should say, my soon-to-be _dead_ traitor brother—is made of better stuff than you could ever hope to be. You’re not even fit to lick the mud from his boots. What did you think was going to happen, when your little coup was over? Did you have some sad little fantasy that he was going to keep you around? Is that what he told you?” The fire princess laughed hysterically, sounding like her sanity was teetering on a razor-thin edge. “A peasant and a _water_ bender? The Fire Nation would never accept _you_ as the next Fire Lady.”

“Fuck you, Azula!” Katara screamed, bending water from the nearby fountain and smashing the place where Azula was standing on the roof. By the time the water reached it, however, Azula was gone.

Seconds later, she appeared behind Katara, using her fire jets to propel herself in pursuit.

Katara evaded her, forming ice and skating along it just out of Azula’s reach. When Azula released another burst of fire, Katara dove behind more columns. She landed right on top of a grate, running in a straight line along in the ground—with water flowing below it.

Azula prowled around the structure looking for Katara. Trying to goad her out of hiding, she continued her taunts, “Sorry to break it to you—well, not really, actually—but if your plan had worked, Zuzu would have tossed you aside like the insignificant trash you are. Not that any of that matters, now that he’s dead.”

Katara felt a stab of pain through her chest, remembering exactly how she felt when Zuko had betrayed her in Ba Sing Se. How did Azula have such an uncanny ability to know exactly what to say to hurt people the most?

She took a calming breath. She couldn’t let Azula get to her; she wouldn’t play Azula’s game. Her eye caught a chain looped loosely through a nearby door handle. Katara got an idea.

She snatched the chain and hid it behind her back just as Azula appeared.

“There you are, filthy peasant.”

Standing on the other side of the grate from Azula, Katara narrowed her eyes in challenge. All she had to do was lure Azula over the grate.

Azula glared at her. Katara shot tendrils of water at Azula, forcing her to roll forward. Azula jumped to her feet and shot her hand out to strike Katara with lightning point-blank, when Katara raised the water from the grate to completely surround both of them.

Katara froze the water, immobilizing her foe. Unfreezing only herself, she swam around and wrapped the chain around Azula’s wrists, then pulled it through the grate, securing it.

Even while frozen, unbridled fury crossed Azula’s features when she realized what was happening.

Katara released the water around them and tightened the chains, to be sure Azula couldn’t escape.

Then, without a second glance at the fire princess, she raced to Zuko where he lay face down on the ground, still twitching from the aftershocks of the lightning.

Katara’s hands shook as she flipped him over. She gently put a hand under the back of his head as she turned him, cushioning it against the pavement. He groaned in pain, then lay still with his eyes closed. He had a large starburst mark on his chest where the lightning had hit him—the mirror of the one on Aang’s back.

“No, no no. Zuko. Don’t do this,” her voice cracked as she pleaded brokenly. “Don’t do this to me. Please don’t do this to me.”

Zuko didn’t move. She knew had to get herself under control if she was going to be able to help him. She took a ragged breath and willed her hands to stop shaking, clenching them until her fingernails bit into her palms.

Holding her tears at bay through sheer determination, Katara bent water from her waterskin and settled it over the wound, willing it with all her heart to heal him. She wished she still had spirit water from the North Pole—she wasn’t sure she could do this without it.

_Please don’t let him be dead. It can’t end like this. I love him, I love him, oh spirits, this can’t be happening. Nothing matters but his life, please spirits, please let me heal him. Let him live. I don’t care what happens next just let him live._

_Don’t do this to me Zuko, please don’t do this. You can’t do this. You have to wake up. You have to be okay. I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you…._

She concentrated and poured all of her energy and love into the healing, envisioning it moving through his body and repairing all the damage of the lightning. She was certain her own heart would stop, as she waited to see if her healing would be enough.

“ _i love you i love you i love you i love you,_ ” she murmured as she worked, not realizing she was saying anything out loud. 

Zuko lay, unmoving, for a long time. Too long. Katara’s hands started to shake again and she leaned forward, pressing herself against him and clutching him with increasing terror.

After what felt like an eternity, Zuko opened his eyes. He smiled at her with a look of such love that she could almost feel it tangibly envelop her.

“Thank you, Katara,” he whispered.

Relief flooded through her. Her tears finally permitted to fall, Katara heaved a hitching sob and broke into a wide joyful smile.

“I think I’m the one who should be thanking you.” She leaned over and kissed him tenderly, never more thankful for anything than the fact that she still could. “But never do that to me again.”

Zuko reached with an unsteady hand to wipe away her tears. “I thought I was going to lose you.” His smile was replaced by a pained expression that cut straight into Katara’s soul.

“Never,” she promised, her voice barely audible.

Then Zuko pulled her back down against him, tangling his fingers in her hair and holding her tight, like she might disappear if he let go even for a moment. She curled into him, tracing his skin with her fingertips just to feel his closeness and remind herself that he was still alive—they both were.

* * *

The day of Zuko’s coronation was full of hope and joy. Delegations from the Fire, Earth, and Water nations were all in attendance to witness the ceremony, packing the courtyard to the brim. Katara stood with Sokka in the audience, reunited with their father and the other Water Tribe warriors.

As Zuko gave his speech, Katara was struck by how compelling of a public speaker he was. She had never seen him speak to a large group before, but he was a complete natural, speaking with easy confidence and strong conviction. It struck her, as he spoke, that he was now the leader of the most powerful nation in the world.

Looking at Zuko and Aang standing together on the dais, Katara felt a fierce pride and adoration for them both. They had all been through so much in the past year, but they had come through it all with honor and friendship.

As the diverse crowd broke into wild applause when Zuko received his crown, he was struck by astonishment. Never in his life had he thought that this was what lay in his future. He felt a renewed determination to do his best in his new role. The whole world was counting on him.

* * *

_~~~A few weeks later~~~_

Katara strolled alongside Zuko through the palace, enjoying a rare moment of solitude together. Zuko had been extremely busy since accepting his crown, trying to set things right and undo the legacy of his father’s cruelty. Of course, it would be a long time before everything could truly be reformed, but Zuko was eager to get started as quickly as possible.

Zuko wore his new customary outfit, the full Fire Lord regalia, along with his hair tied up in a topknot with the fire crown set in it. Katara thought the look suited him, and she found it incredibly attractive, too. As for her, she’d traded her Fire Nation outfit for Water Tribe garb today. While she had grown to like the Fire Nation attire, she didn’t want to forget her heritage, either.

“Hey, there’s somewhere I want to show you. Now that we finally have some time,” Zuko said, taking her hand and pulling her through the grand hall and toward one of the stately oak doors leading outside.

Soon they were outside in the royal palace gardens, weaving through the manicured shrubbery and flowers.

“It’s one of my favorite places,” he said as a large pond came into view.

“Oh, it’s beautiful,” Katara breathed.

Excited, he tugged her toward the big tree at the edge of the water, which hung forward and created a pleasant feeling of shelter and privacy.

“I used to feed the turtle-ducks here with my mother. It’s so peaceful. I still come here, when I want to think or be alone.”

As if summoned by his mention, a turtle-duck mama and her chicks swam toward them, quacking inquisitively in pursuit of crumbs.

Katara crouched by the water and held her hand out to them. The mama swam forward and inspected her fingers, clucking in indignation when she found no offer of food.

Katara laughed. “They are so cute.”

Zuko watched her with a soft, dreamy expression. “You should come feed them with me tomorrow morning. It’s a small thing, but it’s something I always thought I’d like to do, with you.”

“I’d like that.”

“We could even make a habit of it, if you want.” Zuko took her hands in his. “This is a place where we can just _be_. No one will bother us when we’re here.”

“A habit of it... for however long I’m here, I guess?” Katara felt her heart squeeze and she dropped her eyes, pretending to look at the turtle-ducks again.

Concern creased Zuko’s brow. “Are you planning on leaving? I mean, I’m sure you miss the Water Tribe and I know they could use you there to help rebuild. But… well, I kind of thought you’d stay. Or, I hoped you would. We can visit the Water Tribe whenever you want. And Sokka and your father can stay at the palace as long as they want, too.”

Katara pulled her hands away. He released her reluctantly, wondering what was wrong.

“You know I’ll stay as long as I can. I love you. That’s not going to change. But eventually—maybe not tomorrow, maybe not even a year from now, but eventually—I think I’ll _have_ to leave, won’t I? When you need a—” She couldn’t say it. She took a shaky breath. “I mean, seriously, what will I be, Zuko? Or should I say, _Fire Lord_ Zuko? Will I be the Royal Concubine? Or ‘that Water Tribe girl who hangs around the Fire Lord too much’? Your… mistress?”

“What? You wouldn’t be any of those things,” he said in confusion.

Katara’s heart sank into the ground. “Right. Well, at least when I have to go back home, I’ll have a place and a purpose.”

Zuko frowned. “Katara. You didn’t believe anything Azula said to you, did you?”

“What? No.” She fidgeted and refused to meet his eye. “Not really…”

He took her shoulders and forced her to hold his gaze. “Azula always lies.”

“Does she?” Katara said, a little too sharply.

“Yes. Katara…” Suddenly Zuko dropped to his knees at her feet. “You wouldn’t be any of those things because you’d be my Fire Lady. I thought you knew… Katara, there could never be any other possible option for me. I told you I wanted to shout from the mountaintops that I love you, and I meant it. You are mine. And I’m yours. I can’t picture my life without you. I, uh, I didn’t have time to make a betrothal necklace for you. Yet. I was going to surprise you with it. I mean, once I made it. If you want one. …If you’ll have me.”

Zuko looked up at her, his eyes shining with hope and a small nervous smile across his lips. The fathomless depth of his love was written all over his face.

For a second, Katara couldn’t believe what she heard. Was it actually possible for there to be a waterbending Fire Lady? Then a rush of excitement coursed through her, starting in her heart and radiating out to every nerve. Zuko was asking her to be his Fire Lady. To marry him! She felt an exuberant jolt of lightheadedness. Happy tears filled her eyes.

Beaming and at a total loss for words, she flung herself onto him, catching him completely off guard and toppling him over into the dirt next to the pond.

“Zuko!” she exclaimed.

Grinning he said, “So, your answer is…?”

“Yes! Of course yes, you impossible firebender!”

She kissed him with pure delight.

Zuko laughed joyfully, and then Katara found herself being flipped over in one smooth motion, the Fire Lord now on top of her, and there was nowhere else she’d rather be. He rained kisses onto her face and she wound her arms around his neck, hugging him with all her might and crying with happiness.

Together, they would set the example and build a new world based on harmony and unity between the different nations.

…

Ignored and forgotten, the turtle-ducks swam away in search of someone else to feed them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Omg I can't believe it's over! So bittersweet to post the final chapter. However, I will be posting that epilogue eventually (although WHEN will have to be a surprise, since I don't know!).
> 
> Thank you SO MUCH to everyone how has been reading, leaving kudos, bookmarking, and commenting! This story just kind of poured out of me like it needed to be written. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
> 
> I'd love to hear your thoughts on this last chapter, or what you thought of the story as a whole! What was your favorite part?


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